No room to swing a Cat?
by ArollaPine
Summary: A few years have passed since Marinette fell in love with Adrien. Now, both are adult, at the university, and some unforeseen circumstances make Marinette live under the same roof with Adrien. How can she reconcile her onetime crush with a sympathy to Cat Noir who rescued her from the collapsing house?
1. A rescue at the last moment

"Check-mate, Tikki…" Marinette whispered leaving her backpack in the corner of a bedroom.

"Are you sure you didn't want to say _'Check my mates'_?" a little red pellet – a Ladybug's kwami – asked quietly.

"You know them very well already. I meant exactly what I said. Check-mate…"

"Could you explain your metaphor, because I don't get it."

"Deadlock." Marinette muttered. "Just a deadlock."

"You're overreacting."

"I'm doing… what?!" The girl glared at her kwami. She turned her head so quickly that some strands escaped from her bun.

"I know that a lot happened today, but isn't it comforting that you have loving friends who took care of you?" Tikki asked.

"You're right…" Marinette sighed after a while. "I'm so lucky I have Alya…"

"And Cat Noir." Kwami added in a meaningful tone.

"Cat Noir?"

"He rescued you."

Marinette rolled her eyes and looked at Tikki significantly.

"You're perfectly aware that I would do it _by myself_. Actually, I was ready to transform when he appeared. Fortunately, I didn't finish the spell _'Tikki spo…' _"

"Careful!" kwami interrupted, because if Marinette finished the spell she would transform into Ladybug.

"Right… Thanks…" the girl restrained herself. "At that moment Cat Noir could learn about my identity that I've kept in secret for so many years… Anyway, you're right. That's good he came. He could bring me here directly."

"I thought rather about his suggestion to call Alya!" Tikki explained, glancing meaningfully at her holder.

Marinette sighed and sat down on the bed. That was a tough day and – honestly – she didn't believe in a happy end. Despite she called the current situation a _'deadlock'_, this solution was the best she could hope for. And she wouldn't find it so quickly if Cat Noir hadn't helped her.

Suddenly, she heard knocking at the door. A moment later a red head of her best friend, Alya Césaire, showed there.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Sure! It's your home… By the way thanks a lot for giving me shelter." Marinette smiled thankfully.

"Oh, come on!" Alya just waved aside. "What do you have friends for?"

"Are you sure I won't bother…?"

"One more nonsense and I'll give you a kick, Mari! We have a spare room, so you can stay even forever! Thank God, Cat Noir rescued you from that rooftop. Who knows, maybe your house would collapse this night, burying you alive?"

"What a wonderful image… Save it for another occasion, OK?" Marinette winced and got up. "I have to come back there and take my parents' stuff."

"No way!" Alya stopped her at the door. "If you really need to go back there, we'll go altogether. Besides, I think you're more important for your parents than some 'stuff'. Do you know what they would do to me if I let you go and the house collapsed at that moment?"

"I suppose your death would be slow and painful." Marinette laughed finally. "Thanks, Al."

"You're welcome. You can always count on me. Now, come on. We ordered pizza and it should be right away."

"Uhm… Al?"

"Yeah?"

"Uhm… Will Ad-Adrien join us?"

"Mari…" Alya laughed out loud. "I thought you were already over it!"

"Because I was!" Marinette said, but a blush on her face denied her words.

"Didn't Luka heal you from that crush?" Alya couldn't help teasing her friend a little.

"He did…" Marinette winced as only she mentioned her ex-boyfriend. "Yet I didn't plan to live with Adrien under the same roof."

"I remember times when you dreamed about it…"

"That was a long time ago and a lot of water under the bridge." She muttered.

"Anyway, eat something." Alya stopped teasing and took her friend's hand. "You'll unpack later. Besides, you have so few things in that backpack that it'll take you five minutes or so. After dinner we'll think about the return to your construction disaster. And stop worrying about Adrien. Usually, he doesn't leave his bedroom at all. I'd be surprised if he joined us this evening."

"What is he doing there?" Marinette asked curiously.

"Working to earn money." Alya explained. "Since he quit modelling and his father blocked his funds, Adrien's worked as a computer programmer. Don't ask me about details. I don't know about computers anything more than CMS. Honestly, I've never thought Adrien would be such a nerd…" she joked, leaving the room.

"We're not teenagers anymore, Al."

"But we all do what we wanted to do when we were fourteen. I study journalism, you'll be a designer, Nino works in music, Luka… Oh, Sorry…"

"It's OK, Al. I know what Luka does."

"I know you know. Everyone knows. Aren't you happy hearing about his success?"

"Sure, I am…"

"So, why did you dump him?"

"You know why. We have different opinions on how our relationship should look like…" Marinette replied quietly, glancing over her shoulder at the door on her right. The door to Adrien's room. Why didn't she want him to hear her answer?

"Hi, Nette!" Nino greeted, setting a table. "What do you want to drink? Beer? Wine? Cola?"

"Hey, Nino!" Marinette smiled. "I think beer is OK."

"What about Adrien?" Alya asked, insensibly pointing at her friend.

"He was so picky when I asked him about pizza that I'm pretty sure he'll leave his lair tonight." Nino shrugged.

"How is living with him like?" Marinette asked in a casual tone. "You're complaining about him all the time, so I don't know…"

Friends exchanged glances.

"Sometimes it's like he wasn't there… He's changed." Alya said finally.

"Kagami broke him." Nino added. "I'll never forgive her that. If only she didn't cut me into sushi, I would tell her what I think about all this. But maybe Adrien's way is better. Just forget about it."

"Our adult life is a mess…" Marinette noticed with a sigh. "At least you two are happy…"

"You two can be happy as well. All you need is…" Alya began, but her friend cut in:

"No! Please… Don't even think about it!"

"Fine." Alya agreed a little too fast, so Marinette stayed concerned.

Before she managed to react somehow, three things happened almost at the same moment. Pizza man rang the doorbell, Nino went to open, calling 'Pizza, dude!' by the way towards his friend's bedroom, and seconds later Marinette was hugged by Adrien who whispered warmly in her ear:

"I'm so glad you're OK, Mari!"

Alya smiled under her breath. If she didn't match them now, she's not Alya Césaire!


	2. Kittens

"Details, girl!" Alya began without any warning.

"What?" Marinette almost dropped a piece of pizza.

"Oh, come on! A handsome superhero rescued you from the rooftop of a collapsing house and carried you in his arms through the city…"

At that moment both Marinette and Adrien choked with pizza. Nino looked at his girlfriend with reproach.

"Hello? Haven't you forgotten about someone?"

"My heart will always belong to you, Nino…" Alya smiled tenderly. "But you have to admit that Cat Noir gained in strength and became more handsome."

"Hell will freeze over before I say something like that!" Nino replied, and Adrien laughed out loud, giving up eating. Listening to his friends' talk could end up dead by choking.

"So?" Alya asked Marinette in a demanding tone.

"I haven't noticed, Al." her friend confessed. "I was worrying about my house."

"Oh, come on! You _had to_ notice that Cat Noir has changed. He's hot…"

"Alya!" Nino and Marinette yelled at the same moment, and Adrien looked a bit panicked at his bedroom's door as if he wanted to escape.

"You're single. You can date him." Alya continued.

"Dating a superhero?" Marinette replied sarcastically. "Seriously? How do you think it would look like? He will be visiting me through the window and leaving before dawn? I don't even know if his costume can be taken off…" she added under her breath, then she realised what she'd just said and she blushed terribly. "God, what are we talking about here?"

"That someone is interested in some cat…"

"Nonsense! I'd like to remind you that I've just broken up with my boyfriend. Can we wait with marrying another one?"

"I haven't planned to match you two to get married." Alya denied with mischievous smile. "All I suggest is making a few kittens. That's all."

"Alya!" Marinette exclaimed as red as a beetroot, while Adrien appreciated the fact that no one was looking at him, because he felt his face was burning, although – officially! – he had no reason to be embarrassed.

"I don't get it, Mari." Alya sighed theatrically. "You're not in mourning. Your boyfriend didn't die. You _dumped_ him. You definitely can and _should_ date someone. Fight fire with fire, girl."

"So, your advice is to start dating a super-hot-hero, right? Because he rescued me like a prince rescues his pri-princess…" Marinette's voice faded when she remembered what Cat Noir used to call her many years ago.

"What do _you_ think about it, Adrien?" Alya suddenly changed the target of her cross-questioning.

"Ab-About what?" he asked, looking away.

"Do you think Marinette should ask Cat Noir out or not?" Alya specified trying to figure out what were Adrien's current feelings to her best friend.

"Er… To thank him for the rescue?"

"Oh, you both are hopeless!" Alya exclaimed irritably.

"I-I think…" Adrien began, smiling shyly. "I think that if she wanted she could date him. Why not? It's up to her, don't you think?"

"_Thank you!_" Marinette replied emphatically and smiled triumphantly to her friend, then took a next piece of pizza.

Alya frowned. She couldn't fail. Since the beginning she had been directing the conversation to make Adrien jealous. He had to realise that this girl was perfect for him, but someone else could win her heart before him. Someone super special. Someone, who could rescue from falling building, who – if only he wanted – could give her the whole world. Someone, who would be a tough rival to her heart.

Meanwhile Adrien supported Marinette and looked like he was happy she could date someone new. He was unchangeable! So, she decided to play higher.

"Wouldn't you mind?" she asked directly, observing with satisfaction that Adrien's cheeks became flushed and Marinette choked with food again.

"Wh-Why would I?" he stuttered.

Oh, it seemed there was still hope for them! Alya continued with an innocent smile:

"Marinette is our best friend. Wouldn't you be worried a bit that a secret seducer dates her? We don't know even his real name, anything about his family…"

"I think that he'll tell me his name before the wedding…" Marinette joked, and Adrien laughed. "Stop exaggerating, Al. Even my dad wouldn't mind if only I was happy. Besides only you could suggest dating Cat Noir, producing kittens and then cavil that we don't know his identity. Personally, I have completely different objections to him."

"Ahem…" Adrien cleared his throat. "Like what?"

"First of all, he risks his life every day. How would I know that he'd come back home after the fight? Secondly, I'd be in danger myself. Every supervillain would like to kidnap me to reach Cat Noir. And thirdly, there's still Ladybug…"

"You seem to think that over…" Alya commented.

"What's to think over, Al?" Marinette was surprised. "Every reasonable girl would take it into account."

"In my opinion you took it quite seriously…" Alya began, but was stopped by Nino, who put his hand on her shoulder and pointed at Adrien.

"Leave it, Al…" he whispered.

Alya looked at Adrien and became silent immediately.

Adrien was staring fascinated at Marinette. There was only one thought in his mind right now. All her objections to Cat Noir concerned his _duties_, not personality. Why? He didn't know.


	3. Balconies, balconies

Marinette closed the door to her bedroom with a sigh of relief. That dinner had been a nightmare. Alya was unbearable! All that questioning her (about Cat Noir) and Adrien (about her) was so obvious, that only a complete idiot wouldn't figure out what that was about. Luckily, Nino stopped his girlfriend finally and they could finish their pizza.

Yet, the atmosphere remained tense till the end of the meal. Adrien didn't say a word for all this time, then he muttered something about finishing a script before tomorrow and disappeared in his bedroom. Alya was so satisfied with her matchmaking progress that she let Nino take her to their room right after the dinner. Marinette was the one who stayed with a pile of dirty dishes.

She sighed and cleaned up. At least she could do this to thank them for hosting her so unexpectedly.

When she finished, she could go back to her room. _'Her room'_… Right… She didn't feel it was _her_ place. She knew it was temporary. As soon as she got confirmation her house was safe, she'd go back there. There was _her_ room. Really hers. If only she could ever go back there…

She shuddered when she remembered the moment when the floor had shaken under her feet. Tikki immediately warned her, so Marinette took some most important things to her backpack and ran out on the balcony. She was about to transform when suddenly Cat Noir appeared just right next to her.

"Long time no see, Purrincess…" he greeted her.

"Sorry Cat, it's not a good moment for small talk." she muttered.

"Bad timing?" he asked, and she heard a hint of resentment.

"Actually… It's possible that my house will fall any minu…" she began but didn't finish, because he took her in his arms immediately and jumped on a neighbouring balcony.

She remembered that balcony… It was here, where Cat Noir had given her a rose and accepted her rejection. At that moment she discovered how important she was for him. As Ladybug, of course. As Marinette she was only a civilian who needed his rescue all the time. Despite the fact he kept calling her 'Princess'…

Cat Noir put her down and they both looked at Marinette's house.

"Are you sure it was going to fall?" he asked.

"If it was a movie, the house would collapse right now." she muttered, and he laughed.

"How did you know something was wrong?"

Marinette glanced at him unsure. She couldn't tell him that Tikki had told her about the danger. After so many years of keeping her kwami secret she probably wouldn't be able to talk about her openly.

"It was like a quake. I wasn't thinking. I just reacted by instinct."

"Which was very wise, Princess. I wouldn't like to drag you from under the ruins."

"Yeah, I don't like this scenario either."

"And your parents? Should I go back for them?"

"They're gone. I mean they're _away_…" she explained.

"Where?"

"It was like two weeks ago when my mom answered a phone after which she had to leave for China. My dad was required there too. I have no idea what's going on, because they didn't want to tell me. Probably some heritage stuff… I don't know my Chinese family too well…"

"And you've lived _on your own_?"

"What's the challenge in it, Cat Noir?" she laughed. "I'm adult now. I should be able to live on my own!"

"Oh, right… Stupid question…" he admitted embarrassed. "What did you do with the bakery?"

"It's been closed for a while. Now I'll have to extend the shutdown because of that quake. On the other hand… It's still standing…" Marinette stated, observing the building.

"So, what's your plan?"

"I have no plans. I've started thinking that I escaped too rashly. I panicked. Maybe I should go back?"

"_No!_" he protested immediately. "Just wait a few days. Call some experts. They'll assess the risk."

"What about me? Am I supposed to sleep right here? On the balcony?" she asked ironically, so Cat Noir looked at her meaningfully.

"Maybe you have some friends you can stay with?" he suggested.

"My best friend and her boyfriend have an apartment in the city." she replied after a while. "Maybe they can give me shelter…"

"Call her _now_. I'll take you there."

Without waiting for her reaction he took her again in his arms. Before she reached for her phone and called Alya, they were already halfway to her friends' apartment. She didn't even notice that Cat Noir went in the right direction without knowing the address…

And that was how she got into this whole situation. Without a plan. Yet, with the major complication behind a thin wall…


	4. A feline roommate

"Good evening, Purrincess…"

Marinette turned around quickly, dropping her pyjama she'd been holding in her hands. She was about to change, so noticing Cat Noir sitting on a windowsill made her be thankful that she hadn't started two minutes before, and embarrassed at the thought that he could caught her in the middle of changing clothes. Even worse, she remembered that part of the conversation with her friends when they talked about how her relationship with a superhero could look like. She blushed terribly.

"It's the second time today you visit me…" she blurted.

"Bad timing, again?" he smiled wryly.

"Better now than in five minutes… I was about to change…" she muttered under her breath.

"I hope that this time your floor is more stable?" he joked not hearing her comment. "If you felt a quake again, I can start thinking that's how _I affect_ you…"

"Cat, Cat…" she sighed theatrically. "Only _you_ can ruin every moment!"

"How's that?"

"I wanted to thank you for rescuing me, but now I can think only about throwing you down out the window!"

"Well, throwing me down from the fifth floor is quite opposite to being thankful." he commented, but – just in case – he shifted his legs inside the room.

"Then stop picking up everyone you see." she muttered irritably. "I thought that you've grown up a bit!"

"Of course I have, Princess!" he nodded. "I've grown up. Instead of being tempted, I brought you directly here to your friends. Safe and sound." He winked at her.

Marinette couldn't resist and laughed finally. She was so sure he said it just to make her laugh. For a moment she forgot about the talk during the dinner, about Alya's suggestions, and – above all – about the reasons she was here. She felt carefree as if she was fourteen again, and Cat Noir visited her on her balcony.

"Flatterer… Do you really think I believe that?" she asked.

Cat Noir laughed and in a dramatic act grasped his chest as if she broke his heart. Marinette looked at him amused.

"So… Alya gave you shelter?" he asked in a more serious tone. "Just for tonight, or you can stay for longer?"

"I have no idea, actually. We haven't decided anything. So far, they want to make me do the same you suggested. I mean: to go back there with an army of building experts. And I think I'll follow this advice. At least I will know something certain after that."

"So… In the nearest future I'll find you here?" Cat Noir asked.

"Yeah, I guess so…"

"You think they would give me shelter as well?" he winked at her, and she suddenly remembered her friend's suggestions.

Living with Cat Noir under the same roof? Unwittingly she looked at his cat's bell, and when she noticed she was caught red-handed by him, she turned red as a beetroot. He grinned as if he knew exactly what she'd thought about. God, she wanted to die!

"I don't think it would be a good idea…" she said coldly.

"Oh come on! There are so many of you that nobody will notice one more roommate."

"Be quiet, Cat!" she hissed. "All we need now is that Adrien will hear you! There's only a thin wall between our rooms…"

"Not so thin if he hasn't come in here yet."

"Why should he?"

"If that wall is indeed so thin, probably he's already heard a men's voice in your room. He should come here to protect your chastity."

"First of all, it's none of his business what I'm doing with my '_chastity'_! Second of all, I don't think it's endangered."

Cat Noir looked at her thoughtfully, but decided to ignore what she'd just said. Instead of talking about her virginity, he focused on Adrien:

"Why do you think Adrien shouldn't be interested in what we're doing here?"

"We aren't doing anything improper, Cat."

"Yet. Besides, how can he guess that?"

"What do you mean: _'yet'_?!" Marinette spotted, glancing at Cat Noir in shock and she unknowingly stepped back.

"We haven't seen each other for a while. I'm a grown up Cat now. Maybe I've changed?"

"You really mean that I could be in danger?" she asked – just in case.

"I'll never do anything without your permission, Purrincess. I didn't mean what we're _actually doing_ here, but what your roommate _could think_ we're doing."

"I don't think that my love life would be interested for Adrien." She sighed.

"Oh… Someone sounds like broken-hearted…" Cat Noir smiled knowingly.

"Let bygones be bygones…" she shrugged. "Besides, I don't understand why we're talking about that." she added, not knowing why he was asking about Adrien.

"I'm just curious."

"Haven't you heard that curiosity killed the cat?"

"Actually, I think we could help each other in healing our broken hearts." he suggested.

She glanced at him surprised. She didn't know his heart was broken. She was sure that during one of their battles she would notice that Cat Noir was upset. Of course she'd observed that her partner acted differently, but not flirting with Ladybug resulted from his relationship… One rainy evening he'd confessed that he'd started dating someone and after that she stopped paying attention to his behaviour. They still fought against Hawkmoth and his akumas, but there was no more flirting and much less joking. She didn't relate that to a broken heart. Maybe she should be more interested in his life? Maybe he needed her – as a friend?

"You mean like a support group?" she asked shyly.

"Kind of. I think that could help."

"In what, Cat? Who did break your heart?"

"Ladybug. Many years ago."

Marinette gasped. Ladybug? _Ladybug?_ Still? So many years had passed! He had a girlfriend! At least one, but who knew?

"But…" she began. "But you told me you dated someone."

"Really?" he was surprised. "When?"

Damn it! He had told _Ladybug_, not Marinette about that! She forgot herself for a moment.

"It was so long ago…" she said evasively. "Probably you could mention about it when you visited me on my balcony."

"Probably." he nodded. "In that case it had to be my last visit there. I couldn't hang out with you anymore. My girlfriend was a bit… uhm… possessive…" he confessed and winced slightly. Marinette recognised this grimace instantly – her face looked exactly the same every time someone mentioned Luka. "Your boyfriend wouldn't be happy as well if he knew I was visiting you."

There you go! She winced. She didn't notice that Cat Noir observed her face expression with a sudden interest.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He trusted me."

"Then why did you split up?"

"You're asking about very personal things, Cat!" Marinette replied cautiously.

"Forgive me, Princess…"

"It's just…" she hesitated, and he looked at her in astonishment that she was going to answer. "It was rather about our plans for life. I wanted a stability… Living with a musician isn't for me…"

"You prefer a well-mannered computer programmer behind this wall?" he grinned meaningfully.

"Than a musician? Or than a superhero?" she asked teasing.

And unexpectedly he blushed.


	5. A support group

"Are you ready for the first meeting of the support group?"

That was a question asked by Cat Noir the next evening, when he appeared on her windowsill, surprising Marinette.

She squeaked and grabbed a shawl that Alya had given her this morning, to cover herself. She was already in pyjama and felt uncomfortable as if she was half-naked.

"Cat…" she growled. "You'll drive me in anxiety neurosis!"

"Why?"

"I hope you didn't spy on me when I was changing?" she frowned suspiciously.

"That would be dishonourable, Princess!" he replied with reproach.

"Yes, you're right." she nodded. "Nevertheless, you haven't answered yet."

"You wound me! How can you think I could act so disgracefully?" he asked, but seeing her glaring at him he added in a serious tone: "No. I wasn't spying on you."

"Good. I have to remember to curtain off in the future." she muttered under her breath, and Cat Noir laughed. She scowled at him and added: "You can still be thrown down out the window, so be careful!"

"Now it's you who will drive me in anxiety neurosis! You keep threatening me with throwing me down from the fifth floor, so I'll get into anxiety soon."

"Then behave, Cat. Someone can come here any minute!" Marinette hissed.

"Yesterday we checked your wall that you share with the computer programmer. It's not so thin you told me, because he didn't come to ask you who you talked to."

"How do you know that Adrien is a computer programmer?" she asked suddenly, and Cat Noir became speechless for a moment. "You spy on all of us?"

"We already agreed that _I wasn't spying_ on you, Princess." he corrected her. "Why should I observe that guy? Maybe I just _know_ your friends?"

This time Marinette lost her arguments. She was perfectly aware that she shared this apartment with Rena Rouge and Carapace as well as that Cat Noir knew their identity, because a few years ago he had had to hand them their miraculouses – when she, as Ladybug, had been trapped by a supervillain. Nevertheless, he shouldn't suggest that he knew her roommates! He was a superhero and she was a civilian!

"OK, let's assume you know them…" she agreed. "Then you should be more careful not to attract their attention. Alya has already started joking about you and me after you rescued me."

"Joking?" he spotted curiously.

"She even suggested _dating_, Cat!" Marinette warned him. "If she caught you here, she'd become unbearable! And in that case I'll find you and revenge!"

Cat Noir laughed. He didn't expect that Marinette would tell him about Alya's insinuation. The girl, he used to know at school, would blush and pretend that yesterday talk hadn't taken place. Meanwhile, adult Marinette recalled this conversation herself and even joked about it.

"I'll be good, purromise." He winked at her. "So? Are you ready for the first meeting of our support group?"

"Honestly, I have no idea how the group should work. Should I start like in a group therapy? My name's Marinette and I've just dumped my boyfriend?"

"Good start, Princess. I'll follow your example. My name is…" he began, but Marinette stopped him suddenly by putting her finger on his lips and whispered:

"Cat Noir. For now '_Cat Noir_' is enough."

He was staring at her for a moment. This single gesture broke a kind of barrier they had never crossed over the years, even though he'd known her as Adrien and as a superhero. After a moment he managed to call himself to order and returned to their conversation as if nothing special had happened.

"All right then. My name is Cat Noir and I'm recovering from broken heart."

"But you haven't chased Ladybug for years. How can you be still heart-broken?"

"Who said that those things are related?" he was surprised.

"Well… You did. Yesterday. Right here."

"Ah…" he remembered. "Because you asked me who'd broken my heart."

"Exactly. And you said that it was Ladybug. Many years ago."

"But I didn't say that it was the issue now. Why didn't you think that I could be disappointed in love again?"

"Oh, Cat!" she sighed compassionately. "That would mean you have a real bad luck in life!"

"I'm Cat Noir. A bad luck is my middle name."

Marinette burst out laughing. Indeed, only _he_ could joke on that! Cat Noir glanced at her shyly, but soon joined her, so they ended up standing face to face and laughing.

"It's not funny…" Marinette stuttered between new peals of laughter.

"I know…"

"Looks like you prefer dark humour…"

"Dark, black, noir… Looks like my _first_ name…" he commented and they laughed out loud again.

"Stop that, Cat… I can't laugh anymore."

"So, we can say that our first meeting of the support group succeeded, right?"

"Rather totally failed."

"Why?" he asked in surprise. "We're laughing, aren't we?"

"Isn't a laughter through tears?" Marinette replied, becoming serious. "Just think what's the reason of our laughing. A support group should help in dealing with _the problem_, not with your _mood_."

"All right then. How do you see it should work?"

"That was _your_ idea!" she reminded him.

"Because I was in need of support. But honestly I don't know how we should start. We could ask someone who knows life. Like Ladybug. She always has the right idea at the right moment. Maybe she could help us?"

"You think so? How can we make her appear here? Should I perform a secret dance or what?"

"I can call her." he offered reaching for his cat-phone.

"No, please!" she stopped him by grabbing his hand. "One superhero under this roof is enough." She added, aware that there were four – including her – superheroes in the apartment right now. Cat Noir smiled under his breath, because he knew about three of them. Neither of them however shared their knowledge on the subject.

"So, maybe you'll tell me your story?" he suddenly asked, and she blushed.

Which story? With Luka? With Adrien? With Cat Noir? Since when her heart was so capacious?

"You know what? It's getting late. Maybe… Maybe we should postpone it for another evening, OK? Just set a date. I won't be worrying that you'll come just at the moment I'll be changing my clothes. In return you'll get some snacks."

"What would you say for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Marinette repeated hesitantly. "I'm not sure how I'll feel in the evening. We've planned to visit my house tomorrow. I've managed to invite a building inspector. If he tells me I can't live there, at least we'll take some of my stuff. I need my notes, sketchbook, drawing materials and the most important: my sewing machine."

"I can bring you those things in five minutes!"

"No, Cat! You're superhero but even they can be buried under ruins. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you."

"Tomorrow something may happen _to you_!"

"I'll be with a professional. He'll know whether we can go inside or not."

"All right, Princess. I'll come in the evening just to ask how it went. If you need any help with removal, just let me know."

"How?" Marinette laughed. " Should I light up a sign in the sky as Chloe used to do?"

"Can you believe that I forgot about that?" Cat Noir admitted. "She used to be such a crazy girl… I wonder what she's doing now…"

"Uhm…" Marinette suddenly pursed her lips. "One day I'll tell you. Maybe…"

"Something happened?" he asked alarmed by her tone.

"It's a topic for one of our support group meetings, I think…"

"You've just made me worry, Purrincess."

"Let's say that she always liked boys I liked…" she murmured looking away.

Hearing that Cat Noir wanted to hug and comfort her, but… But he overcame this feeling immediately. Yes, that was better to stay as they were. A superhero shouldn't get involved in a relationship with a civilian girl. How would it look like? Him – sneaking in her bedroom every night, leaving before dawn? It would be much easier if they installed a door in their shared wall…


	6. Three is a crowd

Marinette felt fagged out. That day was so long and exhausting. Somehow she managed to get to her room and she fell in a heap onto the bed.

"Are you alive, Princess?" she heard a familiar voice at the window that made her get up immediately.

"Cat Noir?" she asked in a faint tone. "We weren't supposed to meet today."

"We didn't plan a meeting of our support group. But I told you I'd come to ask you how your visit went. I mean visiting your collapsing home."

"Oh, right. You mentioned something like that…"

"So? How was it?"

"First of all, Mr. Mattieu told me that I'd made a good decision with moving out, because he wouldn't bet on that the building would survive one more night if I stayed."

"See?!" Cat Noir grinned with satisfaction, showing her he had been right taking her to Alya.

"Yeah, Cat…" she sighed. "I can congratulate you on your stubbornness. And _myself_ on my intuition…" she added with a half-smile.

"All right. I'll share my glory." he joked winking at her. "So, what now?"

"I had to take my stuff, but we couldn't take too much. My sewing machine and designs were the priority. Well, the whole building needs to be renovated, and it won't be easy, because it's the city centre. I'm afraid that they can send a historic preservation officer, but I hope they won't. That would make the whole process even longer. Well, I'm not quite sure if I understood everything…"

"The most important is that you're safe here, Princess. Do you know how long the renovation can take?"

"No idea… A month? Half a year? Oh, they have to find the cause first."

"Can you stay here for so long?"

"I'm rather afraid that Alya will never let me go…"

"Unless you get married…" he joked, and she glanced at him with amusement. How did he know what Alya had told her when they were packing her clothes?

"It looks like my husband will have to move in here as well…" she muttered, reminding herself Alya's words.

Cat Noir looked at her with concern but said nothing to that.

"Anyway, I can stay here…" she summed up, not noticing his glance. "So, if you still want to organise our little support group, feel invited." she smiled shyly.

"Great…" he muttered, still processing that information about her future husband.

"By the way…" she hesitated, and Cat Noir pricked up his ears. "I wanted to ask you about something…"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I ask Adrien to join us?"

"Ad-Adrien?" Cat Noir choked. "Why?"

"It's a long story…" she replied evasively.

"We have time." he said, settling down on the windowsill.

"Oh…" she murmured suddenly embarrassed. "I'm not sure, if… Uhm… I mean… Well… OK, here's the thing. Today Adrien went with us to my house. I had an opportunity to observe him a bit…" she admitted, but when she noticed Cat Noir's meaningful grin, she glared at him. "It's _not_ what you're thinking about, Cat! Uhm…" she hesitated, but if she started she should finish. "He… I can see that he's upset. I mean like downcast."

"Rea-Really?"

"He used to be different. We all used to be happier, more optimistic… But _even I_ can find some bright sides of my adult life. And he… Uhm… I feel pity for him. As a human being. As a friend. And I thought that if you and me planned to help each other, we could help _him_ as well? What do you think? You know, that was a spontaneous thought this afternoon, but then I realised I should ask you first."

"Ahem…" Cat Noir cleared his throat. "Whatever you say, Princess… Maybe you should _ask him_ first if he wants to share his problems with some strangers?"

"Of course, I'll ask him!" Marinette looked at him significantly. "But before I do so, I wanted to know what _you_ think about it. That was your idea to organise the support group, so I wasn't sure if you want more people in it. But if you don't mind, I'll invite Adrien for tomorrow meeting."

"Do you mean we have a meeting tomorrow?" he asked surprised.

"Caat…" she sighed theatrically.

"Just teasing…" he winked at her. "Can you prepare some snacks?"

"As I promised. Just come here tomorrow at eight. Can you?"

"Sure. I don't have plans for tomorrow."

"Thank you, Cat."

"For what?"

"For agreeing on Adrien."

"I'm not convinced. Won't you feel awkward sharing your love life with two guys?"

"I don't think that the support meetings should focus on dragging our traumatic past up."

"So, how did you imagine these meetings?"

"How did _you_?" she answered back. "That you'll tell me your whole story without revealing your civilian life? You can't even name your girlfriend, because it may happen that I know her."

"_Ex_-girlfriend…" he corrected with the same grimace as always when he mentioned her. The same grimace that appeared on her face every time she mentioned Luka.

"Ex. Yes."

"You're right, Princess. I haven't considered all possible consequences." he admitted. "I have to find a nickname for her. What would you say…"

"No!" she stopped him. "Nothing that could be a hint to guess her name. Or personality!"

"That might be a problem then… But I'll try to find something." he promised, then looked at Marinette with concern and gathered all his courage to ask about Adrien: "Your computer programmer is a bigger problem, I think."

"Not _mine_. I just wanted to show him that there are more of us."

"Us?" he spotted.

"I mean people with broken hearts. I don't know what happened to him. And _I don't want_ to know!" she emphasised. "But I can't stand he suffers. I would do anything to help him."

Cat Noir was staring at her with sparkling eyes. And then – without a word – he approached her and hugged her tight.


	7. A way to a man's heart

Next morning Marinette woke up determined to talk to Adrien, although she had no idea how to start. She couldn't just come and ask him to join an evening meeting of the support group. It had been a while since they had been hanging out. She couldn't continue as if all those years of a break hadn't happened.

While preparing breakfast, she was wondering when they had become so strange to each other. They used to be friends! They would go to the ends of the earth for each other – he had rescued her from the akuma or supervillains so many times. Same had done she, even in her civilian self. Afterwards everything messed up.

After_wards_. After _what_ exactly?

Marinette froze in the middle of preparing French toasts and tried to remember when Adrien had left their bunch of friends. It had been a few years already and she needed to dive in her memories from school. She did her best not to relate that process with Kagami Tsurugi's appearance in Adrien's life, because Marinette always felt guilty about her jealousy. Yet, when she thought over her own memories and yesterday Nino's words, she came to the same conclusion – that Kagami was the one who had dragged Adrien away from them. Probably with the full support of Adrien's father.

Marinette sighed heavily. She got the impression that she needed to find a way back to Adrien first, before she'd invite him for the meeting. But the way looked like overgrown with weeds. The Adrien she used to know would find this way on his own. Not the Adrien he'd become now. All she could say after two days of observations was that rather Alya and Nino were paving the way through the jungle… The key question was who had started this coming back. How they had found each other after those years of Adrien's isolation? When had he broken up with Kagami? When had he given up modelling? Marinette suddenly realised how far she left her friends as well. Adrien, Cat Noir… Had she also forgotten about her friends when she started dating Luka?

"Are you discovering new techniques of cooking?" Alya smirked after a while of watching her thoughtful friend.

"What?"

"I meant cooking by meditation."

"Er… N-no…" Marinette hesitated, looking at her own hands surprised that she was holding a bowl and a fork.

"French toasts?" Alya asked with a smile. "Can I have one?"

"Everyone's invited."

"Well, looks like Adrien's already left, but Nino and I would be delighted."

"Adrien's gone?" Marinette blurted out and glanced at his door.

The door was half-open which meant that the owner had left the bedroom. Marinette supressed a sigh, although she wasn't sure if she felt disappointment or relief. She still didn't figure out how to invite him for the evening meeting – she even started having doubts. Maybe it was a bad idea? Maybe it was better not to insert herself into his private matters? Cat Noir had made clear that Adrien could be not interested in sharing his problems with strangers. Who was Marinette for him after all those years? Or who was Cat Noir for him?

"Don't tell me that this breakfast surprise was for him!" Alya laughed. "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?"

"Go away!" Marinette answered back, but her friend only burst out laughing. "We all need something to eat. Something _good_." she emphasised. "To feel better…"

"Oh…" Alya sighed. "So you noticed…"

"What should I notice?"

"Well… That what Nino and I noticed as soon as Adrien moved in. What that terrible girl had made to him. I would tell her! Maybe Nino is frightened that Kagami would cut him into sushi. But I give a shi…"

"Al!" Marinette warned her.

"…t about it." Alya finished calmly. "What? We're adults now."

"Why wouldn't you mind Kagami cut me into sushi?" Nino joined the conversation, embracing his girlfriend and kissing her in her ear.

"I would cut her first if she only touched you." Alya informed him. "I've only wanted to say that I don't care what she would do to me. She deserved kicking her butt for what she did to Adrien."

"Why are you so sure that it's Kagami's fault?" Marinette asked quietly, listening to her friends and pretending preparing the meal.

"Wow…" Alya replied, and her friend looked at her in concern.

"What?"

"Just: wow…" Alya repeated, and Marinette exchanged surprised glances with Nino. "What?!" Alya laughed.

"I don't get it." Nino shrugged.

"Me neither." Marinette admitted.

"I'm just impressed that Mari tries to defend her main rival. I've always thought that you're too jealous for that."

"Yeah, I remember when you said I was jealous when I accused Lila of lying."

"I know. I'm sorry about that. That was my biggest mistake I've done in my life."

"Let it go, Al." Marinette smiled. "Stop apologising to me for that. We talked about it many years ago. Besides… After all this time it doesn't matter anymore what that lying shrew was saying."

"No, Mari! Maybe it's been many years, but I can't forgive myself so easily that I let you down. I let you down as a friend."

"Stop it, Al. Please… She's not worth our time wasted for talking about her."

"Especially before breakfast!" Nino cut in.

"Right!" Marinette agreed and reached for some bread.

Nino led his girlfriend towards bar stools in their kitchenette. When they sat down, they started watching their friend when she was preparing breakfast for them. Delicious smells improved Alya's mood immediately, so she leaned her chin on her elbows and admitted:

"If you keep spoiling us, I'll never let you go!"

"You can't afford it." Marinette laughed. "Besides, at least this I can do to pay back for hosting me here."

"Yeah… Talking about that…" Alya began and glanced at Nino uncertain as if she was waiting for his approval. When he nodded, she continued: "I think you should stop calling that '_a_ _hosting_' and just move in. Here's the offer. A room. And you participate in paying a rent and bills. All those thanking us or paybacks are over from now."

"You're aware that means also that Dupain-Cheng's breakfasts are over too, aren't you?" Marinette smirked, placing a plate with French toasts in front of her friends.

"Damn… I have to rethink the offer now!" Alya joked and reached for a toast.

"Please, do it, babe." Nino agreed, grabbing the other toast. "I choose breakfasts…"

Marinette laughed happily and before she turned away to prepare more toasts, she said:

"I think we'll reach an agreement…"


	8. The first attempt

Marinette could hardly wait to finish her classes at the university. She was on pins and needles till the end of the last lecture, and kept checking her watch. Still, she didn't have a clue what she would tell Adrien, but it wasn't an issue if she couldn't find him – that was like a mission impossible.

A professor finally let his students go, so she gathered her stuff and ran away from the classroom, ignoring her best – not to say: the only – friend in the group, Véronique Lumière, who froze in the middle of waving to draw Marinette's attention.

While running home, Marinette tried to prepare some scenarios of her talk with Adrien. In the end, she decided to invite him for a meeting without saying about its real purpose. Maybe after some time she or Cat Noir would reveal the goal of their meetings. Well, that plan was crummy but it was still better than anything she had thought up before.

She stormed into the apartment out of breath and froze in astonishment at the sight of Adrien standing in the middle of the living room. He looked like he didn't expect her at all, because he became pale and soon after he terribly blushed.

"Hi, Ad-Adrien!" she greeted him, catching her breath.

"H-Hey, Marin-nette…" he stuttered in reply.

"Uhm… There's…" she began. "There's a thing…"

Adrien moved insensibly as if he wanted to run to his bedroom. She noticed that and she could congratulate herself that she had decided to be as subtle as possible. No pressure, just an invitation for a meeting without any purpose…

"Do you have plans for the evening?" she asked carefully.

"Er… Y-Yes… Actually, yes. I do. I have. I have a date. I'm about to leave soon."

"Oh. OK. Good…" she said. "So, have a nice evening!"

"I think it will be nice." He smiled, suddenly relaxed, and his eyes lit up for a moment.

"Have a good time then!"

"Thanks, P…" he stopped before he blurted out _'Princess'_. He had been using this nickname too often recently. A few years ago he had used it only sometimes – during his visits on her balcony. But now he was visiting her every day and he got used to call her '_Princess'_ even in his thoughts.

He hid in his room immediately, closing the door behind him. He could breathe a sigh of relief. He'd managed to extricate himself from that support group meeting and hadn't blurted out anything that could reveal his superhero-self.

Meanwhile Marinette left her backpack in her room and tried to collect herself after this failure. Then she began preparing some snacks for the meeting. She had promised Cat Noir that she'd make something to eat, and she didn't want to hear his teasing that she didn't prepare anything because she was busy with hunting for Adrien. She chuckled. How it happened that Cat Noir's jokes stopped irritating her and started amusing her?

When Adrien left his room after some time to go for his alleged date, he saw Marinette working in the kitchen with such a smile on her face that he wanted to stay and tell her the truth immediately. It was that special smile that made his heart warm, melted – and healed. From all the wounds made by Kagami once.

"So, I get going…" he said against himself.

"Have a nice evening, Adrien…" she replied with a smile.

"You too…" he whispered and left.

She glanced surprised at the door. She didn't know what to think about this weird conversation. She noticed that Adrien seemed to be interested in food she was preparing, but instead of asking her about her plans, he just turned away and went out.

She sighed and took the plate to her room. At the sight of Cat Noir sitting on the window board, she almost dropped out food on the floor.

"Cat!" she exclaimed. "You're going to kill me!"

"It's eight o'clock." he explained calmly.

"Oh, right…" she noticed in surprise. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not so long. But long enough to see your computer programmer leaving. He set you out."

"_Us_. Not _me_, Cat…" she corrected.

"It wasn't me who wanted to invite him." he shrugged. "That was _you_ who wanted him to join us."

"I explained my reasons already…" she reminded wryly, putting the plate on a table.

"Yeah, you said something, but it wasn't quite clear to me. I think you wanted to advance your heart healing."

"I beg your pardon?!" she glared at him. What was happening to this alley Cat?!

"I'm just saying how it looks like. You're single, he's single… Maybe you thought you could snatch him."

"I would _never_ do this!" she shouted and her eyes filled with tears. How could he think she was so shrewd?! She glanced at him and suddenly a thought occurred to her. Before she held her tongue, she blurted out: "Are you jealous, Cat?"

"Me? Of what? Of whom? Of _him_?!" he answered back outraged.

"Yeah, of him!"

She surprised him. Years ago probably she would have become embarrassed and she would have stuttered something in reply. It wasn't the first time when Cat Noir discovered that adult Marinette was a complete different person than she used to be. Much more self-confident. Much more courageous. Now she was standing in front of him, glaring at him. He couldn't lie and he just admitted what had been bothering him so much:

"You told me two days ago that Chloe always liked the same boys that you liked. I have a similar problem: every girl _I like_, prefers Adrien…"

"I don't prefer Adrien…" Marinette whispered, and immediately blushed as soon as she realised that Cat Noir was talking about girls he _liked_, but said nothing about liking _her_. So, she added quickly: "I mean, I wanted to say that I don't like him better to you. I mean… I didn't mean that you _should_ like me. I mean, you must like me somehow, if you visit me every day. But not in a way that would mean I should prefer you. Besides… Ugh… I messed it up, right?"

"Yeah, a bit. I'd say that it's quite interesting when I think about it…" Cat Noir grinned meaningfully.

"I didn't mean that what you're thinking about!"

"And what am I thinking about?"

"Stop that!"

"But just hypothetically…"

"Nooo…" she groaned and hid her face in her palms.

"_Hypothetically_, Purrincess!" he repeated still grinning. "If you had to choose between me and Adrien, who would be your choice?"

"Cat…" she whispered in pain. "It's not… It's cruel to ask me about that."

"Let's assume that we're the last men on the Earth. Who would be your choice?"

"If you add that to re-populate the Earth, I'll kill you with my bare hands right now!"

"Honestly, I wasn't going so far with the consequences of your choice. But if it helps you to choose, it can be to re-populate the Earth… I'll add in passing that this suit can be taken off…" and he touched significantly his cat bell.

"Caat…" she groaned and facepalmed. He had great time by teasing her, and she became more and more embarrassed. As soon as she realised that he was making fun of her, she regained her composure and the logic came back to her head. She looked at him carefully and spoke in a calm tone: "You put me in the uncomfortable position, Cat… If I tell you that I'd choose you, you'll start teasing and flirting with me. If I tell you that I'd prefer Adrien, you'll become sad and crawl into your shell."

"Hard choice…" he muttered, surprised – again – that she regained her composure so easily.

"Even harder, because you didn't think that making me choose between you two when I've just broken up with my boyfriend wasn't a friendly gesture at all!" she reprimanded at the end.

Cat Noir lowered his head. She was right. He wanted to make her confess her feelings to him or his civilian self. Meanwhile he hadn't thought that she could still grieve after her previous relationship.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured.

"Thank you…" she whispered in reply.

They were standing face to face, not knowing how to act after this argument. They had crossed a few lines that shouldn't be ever even approached. Suddenly, Cat Noir moved uneasy and just to forestall the inevitable, he begged in whisper:

"Don't throw me out, Purrincess…"

Marinette looked at him in surprise.

"Why should I?"

"Because I acted like a fool."

"A jealous fool, I'd say…" she added with a half-smile.

He gritted his teeth, but soon after he smiled back at her.

"Yeah, you're right!" he admitted.

"You made a scene totally unnecessarily, Cat…" she noticed, sitting on the couch. "Adrien has a date tonight, and I think it's something serious."

"You think so?" he asked in astonishment and sat down on a backrest of the couch to keep a little distance to her, because he didn't trust himself if he sat next to her. "How…?"

"When I asked him about plans for the evening, his eyes lit up."

"Seriously? You see such things?"

"It was difficult to not see it… You have no idea how happy I am!"

"You _do care_ for him." he discovered in amazement.

"How could you think otherwise?!"

"Sometimes I forget you are such a good person…"

"It seems to me that you have wrong people around you, if you think I'm such a good person. I'm not flawless."

"No one is. Yet the kindest people in my life are you and… Ladybug."

Marinette blushed and tensed. They were too close to reveal her identity.

"You don't have too many friends, do you?" she muttered.

"You, Ladybug, maybe a couple of other friends…" he confessed, adding in mind: 'literally _a couple_'.

"I have the same. I have you, Adrien, Alya, Nino and one friend at the university. Only one, can you believe it?"

"Barely… Everyone liked you at school!"

"Really? How do you know that?" she was surprised, and Cat Noir grimaced involuntarily.

"Ladybug and I often were around your school. We saw this and that."

"OK, you may be right. I used to have more friends… I don't know what happened that those friendships failed to stand the test of time."

After those words she got lost in thoughts. She remembered her morning reflections about her leaving friends as soon as she had started dating Luka…

Cat Noir was watching her in a complete silence. That was fascinating – as if she was in her own world. The world accessible only for her. No wonder she'd got along with Luka so well – indeed he was the boy who preferred expressing himself with music than with words. And he always knew what music was perfect for Marinette.

Cat Noir winced unknowingly when he remembered that.

"Luka…" Marinette whispered suddenly, and he shuddered. Was she reading his mind?

"What?" escaped from him.

"I left my friends because of Luka…" she confessed and then became silent for good.


	9. Something's happening

"You've been acting weird recently…" Véronique noticed the next day during a lunchtime.

"What?" Marinette replied in absent tone.

"That's what I'm talking about!" her friend only nodded. "Is it Luka? Has he come back with his tail between his legs?"

"Tail?" Marinette repeated and suddenly she imagined a particular tail with its owner. Very familiar owner.

"Oh, you're picking on me…"

"I'd say that you're picking on _me_. Nothing's happening. Maybe except that I had to move out, my house needs a renovation, and my parents stuck in China."

"It's hard to call it '_nothing'_…" Véronique laughed.

"So, you see." Marinette smiled.

"You know what? I really thought that Luka just came back to you."

"Why?"

"Because…" Véronique hesitated. "You have that special look, you know…"

"The _special_ look?" Marinette burst out laughing.

"You know… Like you were in love. That's why I related that to Luka's comeback."

"Ver… Don't you remember that _I_ left _him_? Do you really think that if he came back now, I'd act like a teenager in love? And why do you think I have a '_special'_ look? I'm just tired. Believe me, a lot is happening in my life right now. For two days I had no idea where I would live…"

"You could always move in to our dorm."

"I know… But I need a room." Marinette admitted not being precise about the reasons of that need which couldn't been satisfied by living in a dorm. "Besides, I'm a messy person. You would kick me out within a week."

"So, where are you staying?"

"A friend of mine lives with her boyfriend and she had a free room."

"If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Of course, Ver. Thanks!"

Marinette felt that this conversation with Véronique helped her a little bit. She believed again that there were sincere people around her. So she could continue her lectures at the university in much better mood, leaving all yesterday sorrows behind.

At least she thought she left them. They all came back as soon as she stepped in the apartment in the evening. Was it because she was at the same place where she had had those sad thoughts? Or was it because she passed Adrien who seemed to go for a date with his mysterious girlfriend who made his eyes sparkle? Or, finally, was it because she reminded herself the jealousy scene made by Cat Noir yesterday? Who, by the way, had left soon after this without even saying goodbye.

She had no idea why he left so suddenly. Especially when she decided that she was ready to tell him the story about her broken heart.

Except the fact that… she wasn't sure anymore if there was a broken heart or a disappointment. It wasn't about that she wanted to get married and have kids. It was rather about that she thought Luka was her soulmate. They could communicate with each other without words. He could always play the right song. Like he understood her heart. And she had opened her heart on him. Just to experience the biggest disappointment in her life when she discovered that…

She sighed heavily, closing that door to painful memories.

"Tough day?" Cat Noir asked, sitting on the window board, as usual.

She turned around in astonishment.

"Oh, I didn't know if you'd come tonight…" she whispered.

"Why? I visit you every day. Or rather every night."

"Or rather every _evening_, Cat…" she corrected him. "But… You left yesterday without a word, so I was wondering if you felt offended or something…"

"Nothing of the kind. I thought we could finish today our yesterday meeting." he replied, jumping inside.

"So, why did you leave so suddenly?" she asked him directly, as if words escaped after her overthinking about Cat Noir's possible reasons of disappearing.

He glanced at her carefully, but she looked away immediately. Cat Noir smiled under his breath when he noticed she blushed. But instead of teasing her, he just answered her question:

"You seemed to get lost in thoughts. I felt I should leave."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"I didn't." he admitted, approaching to her and making a gesture as if he wanted to take her hand, but he stopped at the last moment.

"So, why did you leave?" she asked, looking up.

"I thought you wanted to be alone."

"I just wanted…" she hesitated.

"What?" he spotted.

"I wanted to tell you the story."

"What story?"

"About Luka."

"Oh…" he sighed and seemed to turn back to the window.

"Because… Wasn't it the purpose of our support group? To talk about it? I really have to talk to someone who'll understand me. Alya doesn't want even hear about Luka. Every time I start talking about him, she gives me a lecture that he was a wrong guy for me. And after what he did, he's done for her. And Véronique, you know – my colleague at the university, is so concerned that every time I mention Luka, she thinks he's coming back. Even today she asked me if he had come back to me, because I'm acting like…" she stopped suddenly, embarrassed that she almost blurted out _'like I were in love'_. Cat Noir could think that she was in love with him! That wasn't going to happen! Ever!

"Like who?" he asked her breathless, and she realised he was standing right in front of her. Actually, he could easily embrace her. And that made her breathless too.

"I… I'm absentminded for most of time. A lot of classes, projects, work… And the collapsing house on my head… And instead of sleeping I'm spending nights with you, drowning my sorrows in milk…"

"In milk?!" Cat Noir laughed.

"Not in alcohol at least. And you're a cat, so probably you drink milk, right? That supposed to be a joke, but I'm terrible in joking…"

"Don't worry, Purrincess. Milk is OK." He smiled at her and added quietly: "If it's lactose free…"

"I'm hopeless…" she facepalmed.

"Don't say that, Mari…" he whispered and put his hands on her shoulders.

She looked up and for a moment they were staring in each other's eyes. Marinette held her breath and an alarming thought occurred to her suddenly. A thought about kissing Cat Noir. That was ridiculous! And at the same time – so real and easy to do…

"And what's happening here?" they heard from the door.

Marinette and Cat Noir broke their eye contact to look at the door. There was Alya, standing with her arms crossed. And with a mischievous smile on her face.


	10. A total CATaclysm

It could be said that it was a real CATaclysm. The end of the world might as well happen. The effect would be similar…

"So?" Alya asked in a demand tone, although the situation only _looked_ ambiguous.

Marinette felt a little anxious. If she knew Cat Noir well – and she thought she did! – he was about to leave her alone with all this mess. Surprisingly, however – he stayed, still standing next to her.

"It's not what you think!" Marinette began, but as soon as she heard her own words she realised that these were the worst she could use in such a situation.

"Mari, Mari…" Alya laughed. "Why do you think you know what I'm thinking?"

"I'm reading from your face. You must have thought about something dirty…" her friend replied and glared at her.

"Not at all! But if you say so, I promise to knock on the door next time."

"Alya…" Marinette sighed.

"Okay, okay! I'm leaving. Please, continue…" Alya winked at them meaningfully and left the room.

Cat Noir glanced at Marinette uncertain.

"It's not over yet…" the girl muttered. "She's going to share the news with Nino. Then, probably with Adrien as well… And from tomorrow morning she'll start teasing me…"

"How can I help you with that?" he offered fully concerned.

"Don't worry." Marinette managed to smile. "I can deal with her. I know her weak points."

"And she knows yours." he noticed.

"You're wrong, Kitty!" She laughed suddenly. "Alya _only thinks_ she knows my weak points. I've changed."

"True…" Cat Noir murmured, trying to regain his composure.

Was it because of calling him _'Kitty'_ or because he realised for another time that Marinette was so different now comparing to herself from school. She had changed. Or rather Luka had changed her? This was the story she wanted to tell him. But Cat Noir was more and more certain that he didn't want to hear it.

"You'd better go, Cat…" Marinette said after a while of observing him. "I have to prepare a strategy for dealing with Alya."

"You really have changed, Purrincess…"

"I'll treat it as a compliment, Cat."

"Of course…" he nodded and hesitated as if he didn't know what to do next. "I'm so sorry I have to leave with all this."

"Don't worry…" she whispered and touched his cheek. "Everything will be all right."

"How you can be so sure?" escaped from him.

"I just know that. I believe in that."

"And you think your faith is so powerful?"

"I hope so. And hope dies last."

"All right then, Princess… I'm going. If you needed anything, scream."

"Aloud?" she laughed. "Are you around or what?"

He shrugged in reply and winked at her. But when he jumped out the window, he whispered:

"I'm closer than you think…"

Meanwhile Marinette sighed in defeat. She knew she'd acted in front of Cat Noir as if she was at ease and self-confident. She did it because she noticed how much he was concerned about the whole situation with Alya. That was a nice disappointment – she had expected that he would rather escape than support her. Now she could only think about how mature Cat Noir became and changed from a silly alley cat into a grown up man.

Suddenly, she heard Alya, who exclaimed in the living room:

"Adrien! Where the hell have you been?!"

Marinette didn't expect that Alya would react so soon. She really hoped that her friend would wait with sharing '_good news_' until tomorrow morning. Damn it… Marinette knew she has to act immediately, before the whole situation became even worse. She run out the bedroom – just to see Adrien trapped by Alya who was telling him the story about catching Marinette in Cat Noir's embraces.

"Better stop spreading gossips, Al!" Marinette said in a reserved tone, enough to kill Alya's momentum.

"I know what I saw!" she tried again, but Marinette didn't let her start the story.

"Nothing of the kind!" she denied immediately. "All you could see was Cat Noir standing in front of me and keeping his hands on my shoulders. In a comforting gesture! There was nothing romantic in this! If that meant a romantic relationship, then I should be at least married to Adrien who had embraced me here, in this room, a few days ago!" she added, and then she smiled apologetically at Adrien and whispered: "Sorry for dragging you into this…"

"Not a problem!" he muttered with a grin on his face.

"So, stop jumping to conclusions, Al. Because you know nothing!" Marinette finished her speech.

"Jon Snow…" Nino added.

The rest looked at him in astonishment, so Nino laughed and explained:

"That was so obvious quotation!"

Alya rolled her eyes. She was frustrated that her friends didn't support her in all the efforts to make a perfect match for Marinette. However, she wasn't so sure anymore if it was still Adrien or rather Cat Noir…


	11. The second attempt

"Good morning!" Marinette greeted Adrien the next day. She was a bit confused finding him in the kitchenette.

"Morning, Mari!" he smiled in reply. "Did you sleep well?"

"Surprisingly well, considering the evening!" she laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"Breakfast?" he winked at her. "Please, don't tell me you're surprised I can cook…"

"Of course not…" she muttered, trying to hide confusion.

Adrien glanced at her, amused. Yet, he didn't comment her astonishment but said in an indifferent tone:

"I've heard that you served breakfast recently. I thought it would be nice to prepare one _for you_. Especially, when you've been through so much…"

Marinette smiled evasively, still wondering why he'd changed so suddenly. She didn't care about discovering he could cook, but about his talkative nature that didn't fit to the nowadays-Adrien. Rather to the old-time-Adrien. "Old-time" – that was a key to solve this puzzle. Adrien began to behave like his teenage version.

"So, what are you cooking?" she asked, sitting down at the countertop.

"Pancakes."

"Uhm, Adrien? They don't look like crepes…" she noticed, glancing at the pan on the oven.

"Because they're American pancakes, not ours."

"You're sure you want to serve something like that in France?" she joked.

"You'll change your mind when you taste it. When I was in New York I lost my head for them. I went directly to the chef in the hotel and begged him to teach me how to cook it."

"You've been in New York?" she asked in astonishment.

"Two years ago, I guess… After lycée my father sent me there because of his plans of conquering the fashion world in the States." Adrien admitted and winced unknowingly.

"But…" she murmured not understanding.

"When I came back I told my father that I quit. I left it all…" he explained staring at the pan. "Besides… Not only modelling…" he added under his breath and winced again.

At that moment Marinette realised that his grimace was quite similar to hers whenever someone mentioned Luka. And to Cat Noir's when he had been talking about his ex-girlfriend. Could it mean that Adrien was thinking about Kagami right now? Did it mean that he'd dumped her right after coming back from New York? Why?

"I suppose your father wasn't happy?"

"He was furious." Adrien admitted and turned over pancakes on the pan.

"Because you quit? Or because you came back with a new habit of eating American pancakes instead of our French crepes?" she joked, and he laughed.

"Yeah! It was all about pancakes!" he commented ironically.

Marinette burst out laughing and Adrien glanced at her sideways. He smiled warmly and instantly focused on cooking again. After a while he put a plate with pancakes in front of the girl.

"Do you want maple syrup?" he asked.

"Stop teasing my French soul…" she muttered, but he only chuckled in respond.

"Your French soul will be delighted." he assured her. "Or at least your French palate… Fine. Without topping they're delicious too."

"You're not too humble, aren't you?"

"I'm just certain about the quality of the meal. Try it and then tell me where I'm wrong." He looked at her provocatively, and she raised her eyebrow ironically.

"Fine. Challenge accepted…" she said finally. Hearing that Adrien crossed his arms on his chest and stared at her impatiently, observing her trying the pancakes.

Marinette did her best to chew the first morsel as long as she could – only to postpone the moment when she had to agree with him. In the end she couldn't stand his gaze anymore, so she muttered:

"They're delicious, indeed…"

"I told you so!" he smiled triumphantly then turned back to the oven to continue cooking.

"But not enough to betray our French ones." She added in a teasing tone. "It's obvious you haven't tried my crepes yet…"

"If I try, I'll believe." he joined her game.

"You'll beg for mercy…"

Adrien laughed.

"So it looks like tomorrow breakfast is on you." he said, glancing at her.

"Deal." she nodded and continued eating.

After a while Adrien put another plate with pancakes on the countertop, but she protested:

"Eat something, please. It's not fair that only me will be fat…"

He chuckled, then he leaned over the plate, basing on his elbows. He began eating still staring at the girl, but she was focused on her breakfast, so she didn't notice a warm smile on his face. Meanwhile Adrien shoved a stool closer and sat vis-à-vis Marinette.

For a longer while they were eating in a perfect silence, and probably only because of that they heard a muffled noise in Alya and Nino's bedroom. They both looked up and their eyes met for a moment.

"What was that?" Marinette asked breathless, surprised with the fact they were so close to each other.

"I bet Alya was watching us and Nino interrupted her." he replied amused that made his eyes sparkle. As if the old Adrien came back. The one she remembered from the school.

"She's getting more and more unbearable…" she muttered. "I think I should talk to her before my life turns into a nightmare…"

"Why?"

"She's so interested in my life… The more, she started spreading some rumours…"

Adrien looked at her sideways, then he asked in hoarse voice:

"Uhm… What was the case with Cat Noir?"

This time Marinette blushed terribly.

"Oh, it's silly thing…"

"Silly?" he spotted.

"Er… '_Silly_' is a wrong word… But it really turned out a bit insane… And Alya jumped directly to conclusions. _Hasty_ conclusions! Because… I don't know if you remember…" she hesitated. "Er… The first evening when Cat Noir brought me here, Alya was joking all the time that I should date him. And the rest…"

"Yeah, I remember…" Adrien muttered, but couldn't help smiling when he recalled the part about kittens.

"So… It turns out…" Marinette hesitated again and glanced at him unsure. Yet, what was wrong in telling him about that? She looked over her shoulder at the door to Alya's room, then she leaned closer to Adrien and whispered: "Cat Noir visits me sometimes here. Please, don't tell anyone, OK? Especially Alya!"

"I've thought she's your best friend and you don't have secrets between each other…" Adrien murmured, trying to calm down after that confession. It wasn't easy when he heard his heart beating in his ears.

"We don't. Usually…"

"So, why won't you tell her?" he asked trying to sound like he wasn't interested in it at all, while he was dying to know.

"She didn't tell me either about Nino before he confessed to her." She blurted out irritably.

Hearing that Adrien flushed instantly and dropped the fork he'd been holding. He was staring at her in shock, speechless. She realised immediately how he could interpret her words.

"Nothing of the kind!" she hissed.

"If you say so…" he whispered with a smile that he couldn't hide. Suddenly he felt so happy as he hadn't been since forever. Marinette's behaviour gave him a hint of hope that she felt something more than just liking to him. Or rather to Cat Noir…

"You too?" she winced. "I have _fantastic_ friends, indeed…" she commented wryly.

Irritated, she stood up and murmuring "_Thanks for breakfast!_" she turned away to leave. Adrien grabbed her hand instinctively, almost falling down from his stool.

"I apologise, Mari…" he whispered. "You can always count on me whenever you need… uhm… support…" he added and smiled warmly with those green sparkles in his eyes.

Marinette looked at him carefully, not knowing how she should understand what he'd just said, nor his smile and hesitation. Something was hidden beneath them, but she didn't know the answer for this puzzle.

"Thanks, Adrien…" she nodded finally, giving him a sign she accepted his apologies. "For breakfast too… Tomorrow you'll try my crepes and you'll give up your silly American habits… Now, would you excuse me? I'll be late for my classes."

Saying that, she almost ran away to her bedroom. She didn't look back, so she couldn't see that Adrien observed her with a grin on his face until she disappeared in her room. As soon as she felt safe, she leaned against the door and sighed frustrated. She glanced nervously at the window, like she was expecting Cat Noir there – he loved catching her in the worst moments. But no. This time he didn't show up. She wasn't sure if she felt relief or disappointment…


	12. Unlucky Friday

The day was like endless. Marinette hated Fridays. They had classes till late evening with the worst ones at the end – design workshops with the worst teacher she'd ever met. Pierre de la Coste – who had nothing in common with the Fashion House Lacoste, but with a similar-sounded-surname he acted as if he was someone important – was a spiteful person, especially for Marinette. It looked like he lived for humiliating the students.

After the last classes Marinette felt like barely alive. All she wanted was to go back home and hide in her bed for the whole weekend. Of course terrible Pierre had taken it out on her again, because she was his most popular target. Always the most often mocked. Always called as a lack of any talent. But today Pierre was nastier than usual. He even tore up her latest design calling it an intolerable eyesore.

Marinette waited for a moment when everyone left the classroom to collect the pieces of her project. She knew it wasn't perfect – indeed she wasn't in her best shape, but it still didn't justify that complete idiot's behaviour. He was a frustrated designer that no one had ever wanted to hire.

She sighed heavily. Suddenly she realised that usually such situations attracted akumas. She'd seen so many times that after purifying black butterflies it turned out that they had been hidden in pieces of someone's despised work. That thought made her cheer up a bit, just to avoid Hawkmoth's attention. She laughed under her breath thinking it would be quite ironic…

And to think the day had started so well! Adrien finally left his shelter, he took the initiative, talked with her as he used to talk a long time ago. The difference was in her – this time she didn't stutter or mumble as she used to do when she was a teenager. But that breakfast was like a distance dream right now. She sighed again and shook her head. She finished collecting pieces of her project and left the classroom.

When she went out of the building, she laughed at herself ironically. Great! It seemed that her bad luck lasted till forever! The rain was pouring down and she… She didn't have an umbrella with her…

"Oh, please! Just send a storm too, with thunders just over my head!" she yelled to the sky.

"I don't have it in my competences, Purrincess…" a familiar voice answered right next to her, and then she saw Cat Noir emerging from the darkness.

Marinette couldn't help smiling. That was unexpected, yet a very welcome surprise. She noticed that he'd had to be waiting for her for a while, since his hair was totally soaked.

"Do you have an umbrella, maybe?" she asked, winking at him.

"Unfortunately, I have to disappoint you again. I don't have an umbrella. But… I can offer my arm and promise that I'll take you home in a speed of light."

"I'm in such a state, that I'd accept anything."

"What state?" he asked alarmed.

"Akuma-attractive…" she murmured, and he chuckled.

"Akuma-attractive?" he repeated, glancing at her. "What's that word?"

"Obvious! The mood that attracts akumas…"

"In that case I'm so glad I've come for you. I'll protect you from all black butterflies around!"

"Yeah, very funny, Cat…" she winced. "By the way, what are you doing here?"

"You weren't home at our usual time of meetings, so I became alarmed. Then I thought that maybe you were still at the university, so I came here. And saw you yelling to the sky."

"Oh, because it's been a terrible day!"

"Has it?" he looked at her uncertain. "You didn't sleep well? Or maybe didn't eat breakfast?" he bluffed.

"I slept very well and I ate delicious breakfast. But then I came here and every classes were worse than the previous ones. And those workshops at the end were a complete disaster! Argh! I would tear that Pierre into pieces if only I could! First I have to pass all the exams, of course. Including his classes, even if that would be the last thing I'll do in my life!"

Cat Noir was staring at her in amazement. His heart was flooded with bliss, when he heard her praising his breakfast. She liked it! Then he made himself listen carefully what she was talking about, because clearly something wrong had happened later that day.

"Who's Pierre?" he asked, and she looked at him surprised as if she didn't expect him to listen.

"Pierre de la Coste. My teacher of fashion designing. He hates me."

Cat Noir almost blurted out something about Pierre, but he stopped just before he did so. He remembered that guy when he'd tried to get a job at Gabriel Agreste's Fashion House. And now it turned out that this complete idiot was teaching students how to design clothes! How was it possible that someone who had no idea about the profession was teaching the others in the subject he didn't know.

"Véronique always says that he chose me as his favourite victim because he's jealous of my talent." Marinette continued, not paying attention to her interlocutor's face. "I wish she was here today, probably I wouldn't be so anxious after his bullying."

"I can help you. I'm your friend, right?"

"Sure, Cat! I knew I could count on you!" She smiled grateful and was about to add something when she suddenly shivered. That made them both realise that it was too cold and they should get going. "I should have taken some sweater or jacket… But it was so sunny and warm in the morning!"

"Maybe let's go home, Princess…" Cat Noir whispered, embracing her. "It doesn't look like it would stop raining soon."

"I'll get wet anyway..." she whispered and cuddled in his arms. He felt like a hot dragon woke up in his chest.

"Why haven't I taken that damn umbrella with me…" he muttered and lifted her up. "Hold on, Princess. Home's not so far away. We'll be there in a minute."

She answered with a humming that made his heart beat faster. She was becoming more and more adorable and he felt completely lost. But now he had to focus on taking her home as quick as possible, so he ran through the rain trying to protect Marinette from getting soaked. He relieved when he saw the house they lived in.

"Sorry, Princess… I have to take you to the front door, because your window is closed."

"H-How d-do you kn-know t-that?" she asked stuttering, and he cursed under his breath. Marinette was practically drenched to the skin.

"I tried to get into your room for our support group meeting. I told you already…"

"O-Oh… R-right…"

Cat Noir quickened his pace and ran up the fifth floor like it was nothing.

"Are you all right, Princess? I'd better go, because if Alya saw you again in my arms, that would make things more complicated…"

"Su-Sure, Cat. Ju-Just go!" she tried to chuckle, but failed.

He hesitated, but when he saw she was reaching for keys, he sighed with relief and ran downstairs. Yet, he didn't want to risk too much, so he transformed back in the nearest alley and came back on the fifth floor – this time it was more demanding for him to run upstairs. When he saw Marinette still looking for her keys, he became breathless – and it wasn't related to his run.

"Oh, A-Adrien…" she muttered. "I-I ca-can't fi-find…"

„It's OK." He stopped her and without hesitation he reached for his keys.

"I tried to-to r-ring…"

"Don't say anything, Mari. You have to warm up immediately!" he said and opened the door for her.

"I'm O-OK!"

"Hot bath. Now!" he ordered.

Marinette glanced at him surprised, but without a word she followed his command. Until she felt warm water around her body, she didn't realise how cold she'd been before. After that she started thinking about what had just happened. And she had no idea how she should interpret all that.


	13. No Dupain-Cheng breakfast

The hot bath hadn't helped. Neither hot tea prepared by Adrien as soon as Marinette left the bathroom. Cold rain, overwork and recent stressful days had mixed altogether and defeated the girl – quickly and totally.

She didn't even finished her tea, when she felt her nose began dripping. She leapt down from the stool to find some handkerchiefs, but didn't made a step when the room spun and Marinette felt like she was sinking in the darkness.

She woke up in the middle of the night, feeling unbearable fever. Actually she woke up because some cool palm touched her forehead. Cool and gentle. Marinette opened her eyes, but everything was fuzzy in half-light.

"Go back to sleep, Princess…" she heard a whisper just next to her. The whisper that sounded so softly, almost tenderly. The whisper that was followed by a delicate stroking her cheek.

"Thanks, Kitty…" she murmured, smiling half-consciously.

"Just rest…"

She fell asleep instantly. For the whole night she was dreaming about a desert with a terrible heat around her, dryness in her mouth and no water in her sight. She was wandering through endless sands, trying to find something – with no clue what she was looking for. Suddenly, she found a cave where she could rest from the heat outside, and then she fell in a deeper sleep with dreams she didn't remember.

When she woke up in the morning, she noticed in astonishment that she had some wet fabric on her forehead. She removed it to put it on the bedside table, as she noted an unknown mug standing there. A black unknown mug. Never seen before.

Her consciousness was coming back slowly and reluctantly and dreams were mixed with the reality. Was it possible that Cat Noir had visited her at night? Was it him who touched her forehead? Yet, that hand hadn't been covered with a leather glove. On the other hand, its owner called her "Princess" that was a nickname used only by Cat Noir. On the third hand – that black mug… Black as Cat Noir…

"How you're feeling?" was a question asked by Alya who entered the bedroom.

"I'm not sure…" Marinette muttered. "What happened…?"

"Yesterday you got wet and looks like you caught a cold. Probably you had a huge fever at night. Adrien mentioned something about you were delirious in your sleep. Uhm… I don't know… Adrien?!" she called over her shoulder, and before Marinette managed to realise that she was looking rather miserable, a blond head appeared in the door.

"Good morning, Mari!" Adrien greeted her. "Are you better?"

"I don't know… I'm thirsty…"

"I'll get it!" he replied and left immediately.

Alya grinned meaningfully, but Marinette ignored that obvious insinuation. The last thing she needed now was her best friend's joking or matchmaking job. She tried to roll her eyes but couldn't because of a massive headache. All she could do was to get up to a half-lying position and to cover with a quilt. If Adrien was to come back here, she'd prefer to look less miserable than she felt like.

Meanwhile Alya came closer and glanced at her as if she was confused.

"Uhm… Mari?" she began. "I feel so bad about it, but… Uhm… You've got sick and Nino and I have to go… Look… Er… My parents have a wedding anniversary and they invited us for an official dinner. I hope you'll understand…"

"Sure…" Marinette whispered with a hoarse.

"It's OK." Adrien cut in, entering the bedroom. "You can go. I'll take care of her."

"Super!" Alya smiled. "I leave you in good hands."

"The best ones." Adrien corrected, and that made Alya grin meaningfully.

Marinette wanted to die instantly. Her friend didn't even _try_ to be subtle! Good for her that she left immediately, so she avoided consequences of her matchmaking. Marinette felt her cheeks became warm and it wasn't related to fever. Instead of commenting the scene, she focused on a jug brought by Adrien.

"What's that?" she asked quietly.

"Tea with ginger, orange and cloves…" he explained.

"Another American invention?" she smiled ironically.

"This time an oriental one." he admitted. "A miraculous cure for a cold."

He started pouring tea to the black mug, and that made Marinette ask:

"What's that mug?"

"It's mine." he answered simply. " I didn't have time at night to find any of yours so I lent you mine."

"Tha-Thank you…" she whispered, observing him from sideways.

Adrien put the jug away and looked at her with a sympathy.

"You're welcome, Mari."

She blushed and looked away, a bit embarrassed. When she glanced at the mug, she froze seeing… a grin of the Cheshire Cat that appeared on the mug. Soon after she saw its green eyes as well. She squeaked.

"Oh, I haven't told you… It changes because of temperature… I love this mug. Maybe you prefer some…?"

"No!" she protested immediately and took the mug.

"Just drink some tea. And I'll bring you something to eat, OK?" he offered, looking away – rather reluctantly, because seeing her cupping his cat mug was hypnotising for him.

"Oh… I promised you to cook my crepes today!"

"Your famous crepes must wait." Adrien laughed. "You're staying here for today!"

"I'm not going to argue…" she muttered under her breath. "I feel like I'd faint over a pan."

"So, take a rest, please? I'll take care of you."

"Thank you…"

"What do you have friends for?" he smiled and left the room.

Marinette stayed with her gaze frozen on the spot he'd been standing a moment ago. She kept sipping her tea, feeling how ginger and cloves warmed up her throat. She couldn't believe how much Adrien had changed within two days. It seemed like Alya's rumours about Marinette's affair with Cat Noir took that man outside his shelter…


	14. A mysterious girl

Marinette was surprised that Saturday passed so quickly. Half a day she'd been sleeping, but when she woke up in the afternoon, she discovered in astonishment, that she had no more headache, her throat didn't hurt and she was hungry… All of that proved that Adrien's magical cures for a cold worked quite well.

She got up carefully and wrapped up with the shawl that Alya had lent her a week ago. She slowly left her bedroom. When Adrien saw her, he jumped up from the couch.

"Mari! You should stay in your bed!" he exclaimed.

"Sometimes you need to go to bathroom, you know…" she muttered with a weak smile. "And I think I'm getting hungry…"

"I'll make you some soup…" he offered.

She only nodded and went to the bathroom. When she saw her face in a mirror she groaned in despair. She was pale, with dark circles under her eyes, her hair was matted and greasy at the same time! Marinette would never guess why Adrien hadn't run away seeing her like this. Besides, she had never let any of non-relatives see her in such a mess. Even Luka hadn't seen her looking so miserable, despite the fact they had been dating for years!

She sighed and tried to smarten herself up. After a while her face became more familiar and a mess on her head turned into her favourite pigtails. When she left the bathroom, she noticed a bowl of warm soup on the countertop. She sat down and met Adrien's surprised gaze.

"I can take it to your bedroom…" he offered.

"I'll eat like a human being. At the table. _Then_ I go to bed, I promise."

"All right."

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of me…"

"I'm sure you'd do the same for me."

"I guess so… Yet, I can't promise I'll prepare an oriental tea for a cold or a Thai soup. How did you do this?"

"Believe me or not, but I have a brain…" Adrien laughed. "I'm not a stupid model."

"Yeah, you're a nerd." she commented. "It would be difficult without a brain…"

"I should be offended for calling me a nerd, but you're right. I am a nerd. And I like cooking. It helps me to relax, you know…"

"One day some woman will be thankful to have you…" Marinette muttered under her breath, and Adrien suddenly blushed. She didn't notice that, because she was staring at the bowl. "Oh my god! That soup is delicious!"

"Thank you! I hope it'll help you."

Marinette focused on her soup, but felt more and more uncomfortable when she caught once or twice Adrien's intensive gaze. She wasn't sure what he could want more, as she'd already complimented his cooking and thanked for taking care of her. What else could he expect? Her brain protested, because magical cures weren't so effective as she'd thought before. So after a few minutes of activity headache was coming back. The girl gave up and just to keep Adrien busy with anything but her, she asked in a casual tone:

"Will you tell me about your girlfriend?"

Adrien turned pale.

"About Kagami?" he asked in shock.

"What? No!" she denied immediately, glancing at him. "About your _current_ girlfriend!"

"I… I d-don't have a girlfriend…"

"You don't? So, who do you date every evening?"

"She's not my girlfriend yet." Adrien confessed, blushing. "Wh-Why do you want to talk about her?"

"I'm eating and I'd like to listen to something."

"And you've just discovered that listening about my girlfriend is that what you want to hear?"

"Huh! So you admit she _is_ your girlfriend!"

"Er…" Adrien hesitated. "All right…" he gave up and sat down in front of her. He clasped his hands and looked at Marinette uncertain. "You…" he began and stopped immediately. He corrected himself quickly: "She is a fantastic girl. I don't know where to start… She's intelligent, talented, funny. With sense of humour. We understand each other without words."

"I think I know what you mean…" she whispered, because she'd just imagined Cat Noir. Adrien smiled. Yeah… They understood each other without words sometimes.

"I just can't believe I was so blind for so long…" he muttered under his breath.

"So long?" she spotted. "So, how long have you both known each other?"

"A few years…" he replied evasively. "We didn't see each other for some time and recently I met her by accident just at the moment I needed help. And then, somehow…"

"Somehow you started dating?" she finished his sentence.

He smiled to his own thoughts, knowing perfectly who they were talking about. And she didn't have a clue about it at all…

"Besides, she's beautiful…" he added finally.

"Oh, right! That explains a lot!" she snorted.

"Well… She tends to be ironic. But not spiteful. It's great to talk to her, you know… She's… She's just perfect…"

Marinette felt hot. Probably after soup that she'd just finished… Or maybe because of emotions when she imagined that someone could talk about her that way.

"You know, Mari?" Adrien began and made a move as if he wanted to take her hand.

"I think I feel worse…" she managed to warn him before she fainted. Soup, emotions and activity did their job…

The last thing she noticed were strong arms that caught her before she fell on the floor.


	15. Sleeping Purrincess

Adrien didn't expect that he would want to get away ever again in his life. For the last few years, he had stayed at his bedroom every evening writing those codes, which for non-IT-person were just a series of nonsense letters, but he could imagine what those letters would turn into. Usually, Alya and Nino didn't disturb him. Besides, they preferred to focus on themselves during this time… But that Saturday evening Adrien couldn't stay calm. He was too worried about Marinette.

She had fainted the second time during last twenty four hours. Of course, he didn't mind catching her before she fell on the floor. Actually, he could carry her all the time, if only she let him do it. He was more worried about her fainting and restless sleep afterwards. And about the fact that he couldn't sit by her bed all the time. Because… Well… It was _inappropriate_.

Besides… Besides it was eight o'clock and he couldn't think about anything but visiting her. How was it possible that after a week of everyday meetings it became a habit for him?

"Not a habit but an addiction…" Plagg commented, chewing his favourite camembert.

"What an addiction?" Adrien huffed.

"It looks like classic withdrawal symptoms…"

"None of this! I'm just worrying about Marinette. She's fainted twice so far and fever came back. Maybe I should call a doctor? But it looked like just a cold. Nothing serious. So… Why she keeps blacking out?"

"Maybe she's tired. You know… She's been in trouble for some time."

"So, why doesn't she talk to me about this? Instead, she's asking me about my girlfriends…"

"She was asking about _herself_, you moron."

"Come on! I couldn't just tell her that like that! When she's sick. Are you crazy?"

"I missed that, kid…" Plagg laughed. "I mean: your love problems…"

"I can deal with that." Adrien muttered. "And I don't have problems. I know what I feel. I know what I want. I even know how to get it."

"Ugh…" kwami sighed in disappointment. "I miss your awkward version. It was so much funnier…"

"Yeah, right… You really think I'll believe you? You kept whining and complaining all the time! Now, finish your cheese and we're going out…"

"What do you mean: _we're going out_? Where?"

"To Marinette. To check how's she doing."

"You can go like a normal person!" Plagg groaned. "You don't need a disguise!"

"But she doesn't know that it's _me_! She could think that Cat Noir forgot about her when she's sick!"

"I think that _you're_ sick, kid…"

"Plagg, claws out!" Adrien lost patience and transformed.

A moment later he snuck into Marinette's bedroom through an opened window. He sat at the window board and stared at the girl. She was sleeping, pale and motionless with both hands along the body. It looked a bit scary, so Cat Noir jumped from the window sill to approach and check her breath. When he came closer, he noticed her rapid breathing and perspired forehead. Instantly, he reached for a cool compress that he – as Adrien – had left on her nightstand a moment ago. He wiped her face with a wet fabric and then he put the cold cloth on her forehead. Marinette took a deep breath and soon after she began breathing normally.

Cat Noir hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should go, or rather sit down and wait… To wait for what? He shook his head and was about to leave, when he heard:

"Cat?"

"Oh, I didn't want to wake you up, Purrincess…" he whispered.

"Probably I'll fall back asleep in a minute anyway…"

"You're not getting better…" he muttered concerned.

"It's just a cold. I'll be better soon."

"But…" he began but stopped before he blurted out about her faints. As Cat Noir he wasn't supposed to know about them. "But you're sleeping so much and for so long…"

"Sleeping helps to recover, doesn't it?" Marinette said in a hoarse and started coughing.

"Please, take a sip." he offered her tea immediately. The Cheshire Cat on the mug was still smiling, yet his eyes began fading. That meant tea wasn't hot anymore but still warm enough.

"Thanks…" she murmured and sat up.

She was drinking for a while, and he sat down in the corner of her bed and observed her in silence.

"Did you visit me last night?" she asked suddenly, putting away the mug and glancing at Cat Noir sideways.

"Er…" he was embarrassed.

"I thought I heard you."

"Yes. I was here." he nodded.

"You know… I thought this mug is from you…"

"The mug?" he spotted.

"That black one." Marinette pointed the nightstand. "It reminds me… uhm… you. Then it turned out it's Adrien's."

"That you like."

"A lot."

"The mug too?" he winked at her.

"I'll kill you, Cat!" she growled, but he burst out laughing. "Be quiet! Adrien can come in any minute!"

"N-n…" he blurted out, but stopped suddenly.

"He's taken care of me for the whole day, so he really can come in!" she warned him.

"Sounds like he cares about you."

"Because he does." Marinette confirmed, unknowingly in a defensive tone.

"Maybe he fell in love with you?"

"You too, Cat?!" she winced and that made him concern.

"Wh-What me?" he stuttered.

"You're going to make me and Adrien get together?" she clarified her question.

He didn't know how to react. For a moment he thought that she had asked him if he was also in love with her. As if he _couldn't_ be…

"I told you once, Princess, that your computer programmer is my permanent rival… How could I make you and him get together?" he winked at her. "It wouldn't be in my interest."

Marinette's face wasn't so pale anymore. When he noticed her blush, he suddenly decided to try to fight for his happiness. Here and now. Even though she was sick. He was about to do something imprudent, when his cat-ears caught some noises in the corridor. A second later they both heard keys in the front door. They looked at each other panicked a bit.

"I'd better go, Purrincess…" he said, standing up.

"You'd better go, Cat!" Marinette whispered at the same moment.

"I'll come back tomorrow."

"OK, I'll try to get better."

"I'll take your word." he laughed and jumped out.

A moment later Marinette heard Alya calling Adrien. Just before she fell asleep she heard Adrien's voice replying something, but she didn't get the message. She drifted away. She had to recover and a sleep was something she needed right now the most.


	16. One for all and all for one

It was almost eight o'clock in the evening and Marinette sat up in her bed uneasy. She was wondering if Cat Noir would come, as usual. Especially, when he had promised to visit her this evening. Of course, she hadn't been preparing for the meeting, because she was too busy with recovering, however after all the efforts made by her friends to help her she felt almost cured.

Everything had started before noon, when Alya came in Marinette's bedroom and informed her that she'd been discussing some treatment solutions with her mom.

"Oh, come on! Don't you have anything more interesting to talk about with your mom but my cold?" Marinette winced.

"Oh, it was a coincidence! My parents were concerned with your unexpected building problems, then they were asking me if you've already married Luka…" Alya blurted out and hearing Marinette's hiss she restrained herself. "Sorry… Anyway… I told my mom that you'd caught a cold, and she immediately went to bathroom and gave me that…" saying that Alya put a little jar with bath salt in her friend's hand.

"We have plenty of sea salt in the bathroom…" Marinette muttered in surprise.

"It's not sea salt, girl!" Alya laughed. "Can you imagine that you can find it in mines as well?"

"In mines? Are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"I didn't believe either! But it's a whole story! Listen… You remember that my mom works in the Grand Paris hotel, right? It turned out that a famous model stays there right now. Some Polish famous model. I forgot her name… Anyway… She was so impressed by one of my mom's dishes that she made the manager introduce her to my mom. And to thank her she gave her a lot of gifts."

"I don't see the point."

"One of those gifts were this jar of salt. That model told my mom that every time she travels around the world she takes it with her, because a bath is wonderful. So, she gave my mom some."

"I don't get it…"

"It is salt from a famous mine. And there's a health resort there. In the mines! Can you believe it?! That salt has some extra features that helps you in treatment. Like you know… You take a bath and make inhalation to cure your respiratory system."

"It sounds like nonsense…" Marinette was sceptical.

"Do you better options? I've heard Adrien's magical tea already helped you, so why don't you try another exotic solution?"

"Fine! Let it be… Otherwise you'll badger me to death…"

Yet, before the bath was ready, Marinette had to listen to Nino who had found some interesting facts about aromatherapy, and to Adrien who mentioned something about a risk of fainting in warm water, and to Alya who asked so many questions about how her friend was feeling, that it was impossible to answer them all.

For a moment Marinette thought that they all would accompany her in the bathroom, so just in case she strongly suggested them staying outside. Before she managed to convince them to leave her alone, it was one o'clock in the afternoon. That made Nino order pizza, Adrien left to prepare some oriental tea and Alya sat down on the floor in the corridor and informed Marinette that she'd be talking with her through the door.

"If you don't answer, I promise we all will come in there!" she warned her friend.

"Fine!" Marinette hissed. "I'll be talking! Just let me finally check this miraculous salt!"

Although she was sceptical when it came to the non-sea salt – especially when it had been a gift from a Polish supermodel – she had to admit that taking a saline bath was an exceptional experience. She felt her body warmed up and her respiratory system cleaned that made breathing much easier. All that helped her to relax, yet every time when she wanted to fall into her dreams, Alya reminded her wryly that sleeping in bath is forbidden.

After a quarter Nino came to Alya to inform her that he'd just found that a saline bath shouldn't last longer than fifteen minutes. Alya told Marinette to finish and stood up.

"Damn, my butt…" she cursed under her breath, and Nino laughed, embracing her.

"Leave your butt alone. I like it…"

"It hurts after sitting on the floor…"

"Do you want a massage?" he murmured in her ear.

"Get a room!" Marinette yelled through the door. "I'm leaving in a minute and I don't want to see you making out!"

"We're home!" the couple replied and started giggling.

"Get a room!" Adrien said at the other end of a corridor. "My eyes! Can I un-see it?!"

"Yeah, you'd think you're so innocent, dude…" Nino muttered and the rest laughed out loud.

"I'm coming!" Marinette warned. "I hope you're clothed?"

Just in case she closed her eyes. When her friends saw her they burst out laugh again. She joined them soon, thinking by the way that it was wonderful to have such soulmates.

"I'll take you to your room, before they start making out again…" Adrien said, embracing her and leading her to her bedroom. "Just don't look there, because your eyes will hurt you for a week."

"I thought you got used to that, if you've been living with them for so long…" Marinette chuckled, trying to ignore noises behind that clearly meant that Alya and Nino continued their making out session.

"You might as well think that they don't do it so often because they've been living together for so long…" Adrien replied. "So? Are you feeling better after your special bath?" he changed the subject.

"That was wonderful, indeed! And I start breathing easily again. I thought it was nonsense, but that inhalation really works…"

"Life is unpredicted sometimes…" he whispered with a smile. "Go to bed. I'll bring you some tea."

"Thanks…"

Immediately she dived into her bedding with pleasure. She felt so comfortable, warm and delightful, that she didn't want to leave that place. Not until Alya ran into her room, buttoning up her blouse in a rush. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Seriously?" she asked.

"What can I say? Nino is a hot stuff! I can't resist!" Alya chuckled.

"You're crazy… I hope I won't regret that I live with you two…"

"I'm curious what you'll say when you start making out with Adrien and you don't care who can see you then…"

"I'm not going to make out with Adrien!" Marinette protested, blushing terribly.

"OK. With Cat Noir then." Alya shrugged, and a blush on her friend's face only darkened. But she didn't denied. "I've come to ask you if you're joining us there, or should I bring you some pizza here?"

"I'd prefer to eat here." Marinette admitted. "But… If you aren't afraid to catch a cold from me, maybe you'll join me here instead? I feel lonely a bit…"

"Sure, girl! I'll tell boys!"

After a while she came back with three mugs, and Nino brought two pizzas that he left on the desk. The last was Adrien who carried a jug of his magical tea. He was smiling, but he couldn't tell them what was the reason of his smile. He couldn't confess that he'd heard the girls' talk – especially the part when Marinette hadn't denied to Alya's suggestions.

They sat down comfortably – Adrien at the desk, next to Marinette, Nino sank into an armchair immediately pinned down by his girlfriend.

"Does it mean I have to serve you?" the blond asked in surprise.

"You're the one who chose your seat." His friend laughed.

"He wanted to be close to his ill girl…" Alya added with a malicious smile.

"Al…" Marinette muttered warningly.

"I'm just curious what did you do yesterday when we left you here all by yourselves…"

"I'm sick, remember? Besides, I was sleeping almost all day long. What are you imagining again?"

"I'm not imagining anything. But don't think I didn't see how Adrien embraced you a while ago…"

"I thought you were busy with Nino…" Marinette answered back, glancing at Adrien who was sitting quiet and embarrassed. "He didn't want me to fall down again, that's all."

"Yeah, sure…" Alya snorted.

"Focus on your plate before it's too late…" Nino cut in, just to change the subject. He felt pity for Adrien, who was targeted by Alya. Men's friendship meant some solidarity.

"I suspect a collusion…" Alya winced.

"Smells like salami? Or vegetables?" Nino joked and kissed her earlobe.

"You'll pay for that!"

"Can't wait…"

"Are you sure you're hungry?" Marinette asked and added quickly: "I mean for a pizza! Not for making out again!"

"Of course, we're hungry!" Alya laughed. "Not only for a pizza… But we need to eat something to have energy for…"

"I don't want to hear that!" Marinette cried and covered her ears.

"Save your voice, Mari." Alya replied. "You should take care of your throat."

"How are you feeling?" Adrien continued the subject. "Do you think you can go for the classes tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure yet. But there's so much time before tomorrow. Maybe I'll take a nap? Sleeping really helps."

"You sleep so much…" he blurted out, and she glanced at him surprised. Before she managed to comment it, he added quickly: "But it's good. You'll recover sooner."

"Yeah…" Marinette murmured.

She felt lost a bit and she preferred to focus on simple things – like eating. Yet, her brain re-processed Cat Noir's visit yesterday and his words so similar to Adrien's. Every attempt of explaining that coincidence in a logic way ended up the same – with a headache. Finally, exhausted by trying to solve a puzzle, warmed up with a bath and hot tea, and filled in with a delicious pizza, the girl just fell asleep with a plate in her hand. She didn't feel when someone took the dishes from her palm nor didn't hear her friends cleaning up and leaving her bedroom.

When she woke up a few hours later she noticed that her room looked as if there had been no one in the afternoon. She took a glance at the clock. It was about eight p.m. She sat up and thought about Cat Noir, when she heard him in the flesh:

"Good evening, Purrincess. Feeling better?"

Of course, he was sitting on the windowsill smiling at her.


	17. Her exes

"So, how was your day?" Cat Noir asked, changing his seat from the windowsill to a corner of Marinette's bed.

"Great!" she replied with a bright smile.

"Said by a sick person…" he commented and she laughed.

"Oh, all I meant was that I have wonderful friends, you know? Everyone cared about me today. We even ate a pizza here, in my room… I think…" she hesitated. "I guess… I'm not sure… It's like the reality and dreams has been mixed recently…"

"But… You're better?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah, I feel much better. Almost cured, I think. Not counting that moment of confusion at the start."

"So, you're going for classes tomorrow?"

Marinette glanced at him unsure. Something in his tone alerted her. How did he know what they had been discussing here in the afternoon?

"I'm not sure yet… I feel a bit confused… Besides, I have only two lectures tomorrow, so it's better to let it go? Vér will share her notes with me later."

"Your friend Vér, right?"

"Yes, that's her. I'll have a chance to get better."

She stayed quiet for a while, so he felt uncomfortable and uncertain what he should do now. Meanwhile she was trying to find a courage to tell him the story that she had planned to share last week.

"It's the right time, Cat…" she said determined.

"F-For what?" he stuttered.

"I'll tell you about Luka."

"You want to get worse?" he winced, trying to ignore a sudden desire to jump out the window. Why was she ruining this perfect evening?

"I want to feel better. And I think that when I tell you the story, I'll be able to move on, you know?"

'_Oh, that works for me…'_ he thought happily. All he needed was to bite the bullet, wait out the terrible story, and then… Then… He'd see what would happen…

"So…" she began. "What do you want to know?"

"Nothing…" he blurted out. "I mean… Just tell me what could help you. I'm here to listen whatever you'll tell me."

"OK, Cat… Oh, by the way…"

"Yeah?"

"Can you promise that everything I'll tell you will stay between you and me?"

"Of course, Princess. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." he promised, rising his right hand and putting his left hand on his heart. Marinette burst out laughing, and he winked at her in reply. "So, let's do it…"

"Would you mind if I don't go into details?"

"I'd _appreciate_ that if you don't, please…"

"Great… So… Where to start?"

"Please not from the beginning…" he muttered. All he wanted was to avoid those romantic details of how Luka won his girlfriend's heart. Luka's girlfriend not Cat Noir's. Because Marinette wasn't neither Cat Noir's nor Adrien's girlfriend. "Just tell me what hurts you."

"My heart hurts, Cat. Every time I think about my bad choices. I chose a boy who turned out to be untrustworthy. I chose him over my friends. Probably I would be completely alone right now if I didn't have Alya. And Nino, and Adrien. And you, of course…"

"Why do you think you chose Luka _over_ your friends?"

"Don't judge me, Cat… We were in love. We wanted to spend every second together…" she got lost in memories for a moment, not paying attention to her interlocutor who looked like he wanted to jump out the window again. "Soon, it turned out that there's no more time to spend with friends. Besides, Alya and Nino began skipping our meetings, then Ivan and Mylène did the same. Adrien left us as soon as he started dating Kagami. After that only Juleka, Rose and Luka stayed around me, but Juleka and Rose focused on themselves soon, so… It was over. And now… Now I feel that it's almost impossible to get these people altogether. I'm afraid we wouldn't have anything to talk about. Everyone has grown up. Everyone has their life…"

"Excuses…" Cat Noir snorted. "Tell me, what you're really afraid of, Princess…"

Marinette took a glance at him with concern. After a while she whispered:

"That they will blame me for breaking-up our gang. That was my fault, because I was too focused on my boyfriend that I forgot about my friends…"

"But it's not true! Everyone left because they wanted. But it's you who can reunite them now, you know?"

"You really think so?"

"Weren't they those who called you their Everyday Ladybug?"

"Adrien called me that." she whispered and smiled to her memories of that special day.

"Seriously?" he pretended being astonished, although he remembered that day perfectly. Recently he'd even recalled it quite often.

"What's so shocking for you?"

"What? No… Nothing… I'm just surprised that you remember it so well…"

"That was a very important moment for me. A very important memory."

"Because you felt like a superheroine?"

"Because Adrien noticed me. You know, me as someone worth being noticed." she admitted and added under her breath: "Sort of…"

"Wow… You sounds like you were in love with him."

"Because I was." she confessed just like that.

"Wh-What?!" Cat Noir was shocked, this time for real.

"It's ancient history… I think I'd die before I told him now."

"But… But… How?"

"How what?" Marinette laughed. "You've been teasing me all the time that I'm picking up the programmer living next door, or that he's in love with me. And now you're acting like I revealed the biggest secret in the world and it's impossible to believe in that!"

"Be-Because _it is_… I had no idea…"

"Actually… When you think about it, that could seem to be weird. Believe me or not, but it wasn't related anyhow with the fact he was a famous model. At least at the beginning…"

"Re-Really?"

"Really, Cat. Can you imagine? Of course, you can. You're superhero, so probably you have plenty of admirers everywhere. Just imagine that someone could love you just for you, not for your fame."

"Mhm…" was all he could say right now. He wanted to run away immediately, find Bunnix and go back in time. Oh, he'd been such an idiot!

"It's so strange that Adrien didn't realise that." Marinette continued, completely unaware what was happening in Cat Noir's head. "Everyone knew. Even his girlfriend, Kagami…"

"You're not serious…" he whispered in shock.

"Why? You think he knew?" she was surprised.

"No, he didn't. For sure."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he would be with you. Who wouldn't want to be with you?"

"You. Adrien. Luka… Should I continue the list?"

"Wait a moment! Luka? You both were dating for years!"

"It was long time ago. Now, I'm not so funny anymore for him. Besides… Besides he always thought I was dating him because Adrien was dating Kagami. At the beginning he didn't mind, but then… Er… He reminded this every time we had a quarrel. Even when we had an argument of something stupid, that issue was brought back by Luka… Sooner or later… Finally, I had enough. Enough of all those fights, reproaches, lack of trust. He could meet his fans and admirers all he wanted, but I couldn't go out with my friends without an argument."

"You couldn't?"

"Once I went for coffee with Nathaniel. We met by chance and he told me that he'd just signed a contract with a publisher for the whole series of comic books. When Luka heard about it, he went mad. But when I told him that a week before he'd been at a party in the Grand Paris Hotel, without me of course, I heard that I was picking on him. Oh, I should mention that at that party Luka was caught on making out with Chloe Bourgeois. I got some pictures from an anonymous _'friend'_…" Marinette's voice failed her. She lowered her head and clasped her hands.

Cat Noir couldn't decide what to do. First, he wanted to come closer, embrace Marinette and comfort her. But his other half wanted to leave immediately, find Luka and break his spine.

In result, he stayed frozen and just stared at Marinette without a word.


	18. Curiosity killed the Cat

They kept sitting in the complete silence and Cat Noir started feeling more and more uncomfortable. With every second he became more and more aware that he had made a wrong decision a while ago and instead of sitting in the corner he should have comfort Marinette. What was worse, he discovered that the right moment to do so had passed and there was no option to turn back time. All he could do now was waiting for her move.

"So… That's it…" she whispered finally and looked up at him.

His heart hurt when he saw tears in her eyes. That finally made him do the right thing – he sat closer and took her hand.

"But he wasn't like that, right?" he asked softly, glancing at her. "He used to do everything for you. He would die for you."

"Probably he still would. You know, for the most of the time he was charming and caring. And he always knew what song was playing in my heart…"

Hearing that Cat Noir almost gave in and ran away to throw himself off a bridge to the Sein.

"But then he seemed to fall into a rockstar lifestyle…" Marinette continued, unconsciously keeping her hand still clasped with his. "You know… All those girls around him. Can you imagine how many bras he was bringing back home after each concert?"

"Why did he keep them?" Cat Noir asked in astonishment.

"Huh!" Marinette spotted and wondered for a moment about that he had just said. "I have no idea… When I'm thinking about that now, I'm sure that should alert me then. One day he wasn't my Luka anymore, he turned into a famous rockman. Maybe he became addicted to popularity and adrenaline? I don't know…"

"Popularity doesn't addict, Princess…" Cat Noir commented. He knew that very well from his experience – both as Adrien's and Cat Noir's. "Even when you're a celebrity, it's you who decide what to do with all your fame and how to create your public image. I hated all those admirers around. They didn't like me honestly. It was fake."

"If anyone had asked me in the past which one of you both, I mean you and Luka, would be more interested in being admired by girls, I'd bet on you, not Luka."

"But… You loved him, didn't you?" he stuttered.

"Of course, I did!" she assured him, and he winced involuntarily. "Not like Adrien for sure, but yes. I loved Luka."

"Not like Adrien?" he spotted. "What do you mean? Less?"

"Rather: differently. I can't explain that. I loved him very much, but… differently… You know… It wasn't like a thunder stroke in a middle of a rainy day. It was rather like a feeling growing with each day. Not so obvious one. Luka was always there for me. I could count on him comforting me whenever I needed that. He was nice, charming and supportive. We got befriend. And when… When he confessed his feelings to me, I discovered that I also felt the same way…" Marinette dived in her memories, and her interlocutor supressed sudden nauseous. That was unbearable!

"Do you… Uhm…" he cleared his throat. "Do you think you could love him… uhm… again?"

"Whom? Luka?" she was surprised.

"Adrien." he specified.

Marinette blushed instantly. She couldn't answer this question. On one hand she couldn't abandon this scenario for good. Her old feelings had been too strong to give up all her hopes forever. On the other hand… Adrien seemed to find finally the woman of his life. No one talks about any girl that way if it isn't serious. Besides, that was Cat Noir who made her heart beating faster. Although it was way too early to try Alya's solution of '_fighting fire with fire'_.

"Why do you want to know that?" she asked carefully.

"I'm just curious…" he muttered, unsure what she'd been thinking about for that moment.

Was she wondering if it was possible to fell in love with Adrien again? Or did she decide definitely not do it? Did it mean that she had meant him, Adrien, when she'd told him she was in love that evening, when he'd visited her on her balcony for the first time, long time ago? Was it him, Adrien, who had broken her heart then? Her heart that was healed by Luka afterwards… Right… Luka… It turned out that it was him, stupid Adrien Agreste, who pushed Marinette straight into Luka's arms! Marinette, who could have been his, Adrien's girlfriend many years ago… Oh, he was such an idiot!

"Curiosity killed a cat, I've told you that once, Cat…"

"I must agree with you…" he whispered, discovering belatedly that all the knowledge he'd just learnt made his life more miserable than it used to be. How could he keep going now, when he knew that he could have lived happily ever after with this wonderful girl since high school?

"It doesn't matter anymore, Cat. I've already told you that Adrien has been in love already. Truly in love."

"How do you know that?"

"I asked him about his girlfriend. He told me what she is. If you could see how he looked like at that moment. He was talking so well about her. With passion and sparkles in his eyes. It's obvious he loves her. I wish someone said something about me that way…" she confessed with a slight hint of sadness.

Cat Noir wanted to bite his hands. He wanted to assure her that it was about her! That he was talking about her! She shouldn't be sad. She should know! Was it possible to end these tortures?!

"I'm sure there's someone there…" he whispered in a hoarse.

"Right, Cat… I'm sure…" she muttered ironically.

That was the final straw. Suddenly Cat Noir felt that he couldn't stand this anymore. Too much information and emotions within an hour or so. Marinette had been killing him piece by piece with her story about Luka, then she confessed she had been in love with him years ago, and now that… No, he couldn't bear all this.

"Forgive me, Princess…" he jumped on his feet. "I… I have to go…"

He didn't look back, but was certain that she was staring at him in shock and concern. He ran away and when he finally shelter himself in his own room he could throw himself on the bed, not saying a word to Plagg. Well, he got what he wanted…

x x x

She woke up with a cough. That was consequence of talking too much about the exes. She'd been feeling better during a day, and everything was ruined now! Half-conscious, she sat up and to her surprise she saw a black mug with Cheshire Cat in front of her face.

"Take a sip, Princess…"

"Thanks, Cat…" she muttered and looked at him gratefully. Yet… Cat Noir didn't wear his mask. He was… "Adrien?"

"Shh… It's just a dream…" he smiled and winked at her.

"Weird…" she whispered and gave him back the mug.

"Why?"

"Too unrealistic… And too wonderful…" she murmured, falling back asleep.

Adrien stayed for a moment, staring at her. He couldn't stop smiling…


	19. Plausible deniability

Next morning Marinette woke up a bit confused. She had a feeling that she dreamt about Cat Noir who turned out to be Adrien. And she couldn't supress the feeling of disappointment that it was only a dream… She stretched and looked around carefully – but the room seemed to be unchanged and the Cheshire Cat mug was at its usual spot.

The apartment was quiet, so she assumed that everyone had left for their classes. Marinette got up finally and went to the bathroom. She glanced quickly at doors to her friends' bedrooms and supressed an enticement to check Adrien's room – she wasn't going to nose around there when he was out. Not that she was going to do it when he was there either, of course! Oh god, what she was thinking about!

She blushed even if no one heard her thoughts. That was how you ended up when you heard too many digs from Alya, you dreamt too many silly dreams and you had talked too much about your exes a day before! But Marinette was mature enough to not follow a temptation of falling in love with Adrien again. Especially, when she knew that he'd been in love – truly and deeply – with someone else.

Marinette called herself to order and checked once again if she was alone in the apartment. Then she whispered in the direction to her bedroom:

"Tikki? I think you can come up…"

After a moment a red kwami appeared in the living room and approached to her holder.

"You don't have too much freedom here…" Marinette sighed.

"Your friends want to spend time with you, and that's OK…" Tikki snuggled up to the girl's cheek. "I can deal with that, don't worry."

"I really can't foresee when Alya comes in, or Cat Noir jumps in through the window… It was easier at home…"

"Calm down, Marinette… I'm quick in hiding."

"I miss talking to you…" the girl whispered. "All the time I have a feeling that these walls are too thin and someone could hear us… It seems to me that we don't talk so often anymore…"

"Because you're grown up. You're an adult, Marinette. You don't need me that much you used to when you were younger…"

"Not true!"

"I don't mind! I'm happy when I see you so independent. You're not that lost, uncertain teenage girl in love. In unrequited love. Finally, you're loved back…"

"Lo-loved? What?! What do you mean?!" Marinette laughed nervously and blushed like she used to do in high school times. Tikki giggled.

"Oh, you're not going to tell me that you haven't noticed all those efforts of Adrien and Cat Noir!"

"But how can you think that I love them?! How can I love them both? It's ridiculous!"

"You didn't deny yesterday, when Cat Noir asked you if you could love Adrien again…" Tikki reminded in a meaningful tone and Marinette felt flush on her cheeks.

"I denied soon after by telling Cat that Adrien is in love with someone else."

"Which wasn't the answer to his question. You only noticed that Adrien has someone else."

"What are you trying to talk me into, Tikki?" Marinette lost her patience. "I'm not going to interfere with Adrien's happiness. Not when he loves someone so much! It's something more than with Kagami, I can see it. Can you believe that his eyes are sparkling when he talks about his girl?"

"Didn't this description sound familiar to you?" Tikki asked in an innocent tone, but her face looked like she suddenly saw a plate full of macaroons.

Marinette froze in the middle of trying to say something and stared at her kwami. She was still denying to accept the hints of subconsciousness.

"But… But he goes out everyday for a date with his girlfriend. He doesn't visit _me_!" she began, but her voice failed her and her heart skipped a beat.

Adrien, indeed, had been going out to see _his girlfriend_. Every day around eight o'clock. He had been coming back home soon after she had finished meetings of support group. When she'd been sick, both – Cat Noir and Adrien – was taking care of her. At night when she had got the fever, there was Cat Noir there by her bed. In his civilian self, because she remembered his uncovered palm on her forehead. Only he called her '_Princess_'. It couldn't be anyone else. Next day Alya told Marinette that Adrien had been there because he heard her cough. If he could hear it through the walls, how couldn't he hear Cat Noir's laugh before?

And last night… Adrien had called her _'Princess'_ when he gave her something to drink. When she recognised him, he told her it was just a dream. What if… What if it _wasn't _a dream? What if he'd just followed a justification she'd suggested in the evening when she'd said that the reality and dreams had been mixed in her head recently?

"I have to sit down…" she whispered, sitting on a stool in the kitchenette.

Tikki flew away to the girl's bedroom and brought a notebook and pencils from there. She put these tools in front of her holder and looked at her with hope.

"Maybe you want to make some notes? Before you overload your brain…"

"You know something, don't you?" Marinette asked in a suspicious tone and immediately continued: "Of course, you do! You know Plagg as yourself. You must know Cat Noir's identity. And now you want me to discover it myself!" she accused her kwami then she added under her breath: "As if I haven't already…"

"I just wanted to help…"

"Why _now_?"

"Long time ago Master Fu told you that everything needs to be done at the right time. He compared it to cooking noodles, remember?" Tikki said, and when her holder nodded with confirmation, the kwami continued: "I think _it is_ the right time."

"It's impossible…" the girl muttered and lowered her head.

"But… Why are you so worried?"

"I don't want to give back my miraculous…"

"Why? Why should you do so?" Tikki asked in surprise.

"You told me once that when I learned Cat Noir's identity I'd have to give in my miraculous."

"Oh, Marinette…" the kwami sighed. "You still believe in that?"

"Wh-What?" the girl perked her head and gazed at Tikki.

"Master Fu made up this rule to prevent the reveal of your identities too soon. To make you focus on the mission not on your love. It had been times when you were too distracted by yourselves and Hawkmoth almost won every time when you were more interested in beloved halves. Can you imagine what could happen if you knew your identities? Besides… It was also about being convincing in denying any hints or rumours about your civilian selves."

"I don't understand…"

"You were kids. You didn't know how to be convincing in lying."

"Now we're adults, so we know how to lie?"

"I mean being convincing if someone asked you directly. It's called '_plausible deniability'_."

"Are you trying to tell me that I was rejecting Adrien all those years? Adrien that I was madly in love with?" Marinette asked in disbelief. "It's like a nightmare! How can I live now, knowing that I could have been happy for years! With Adrien!"

"You were happy with Luka though…" Tikki reminded.

"Who broke my heart. That still hurts. I could avoid that…"

"Nothing happens without the reason, Marinette. You've grown up thanks to Luka. Who knows what you could be if you weren't with him? Or if Adrien would learn about your qualities if he hadn't collected his experiences. We'll never know that. One thing is certain – you're not two teenagers who love their crushes' image."

"I didn't love Adrien's image! I knew he was honest, charming and helpful!"

"Yet you didn't accept his other half. The one that wasn't tempered by his father or father's assistant. You've appreciated Cat Noir when you've grown up."

"He's changed."

"So have you. You're both mature now. And water is boiling, so it's time for cooking."

"Thanks, Tikki…" Marinette sighed.

"I didn't say that this process would be easy… You have to think over what's next. Remember that you will have to choose one of them. Cat Noir doesn't know that you've figured him out…"

"I can tell him that I'm Ladybug, can't I? And that I know who he is."

"Don't assume that he'll react in a way you expect he would. As Ladybug you broke his heart… And you still don't know what happened between him and Kagami…"

"See? I still need you, Tikki! You're my voice of reason!"

"I think that you're mature enough to use your own reason…" kwami smiled. "But, thank you anyway… Now, try to figure out what to do with your noodles…"

Marinette glanced at Tikki thoughtfully. Without a word she reached for her notebook – she always preferred thinking with a pencil in her hand. However, when she looked at the sketchbook two hours later still with not a clue what to tell Cat Noir, she only saw his perfect portrait…


	20. The third attempt

She wasn't ready. She wasn't ready at all! She couldn't face Cat Noir this evening! She'd been thinking over a good excuse to avoid the meeting. But how could she send him a message that he shouldn't come, without revealing her latest discovery? Finally, she found a brilliant solution – simple and obvious – she invited Véronique for the afternoon. So, when her roommates began coming back home, they could see her with a college colleague sitting in the living room surrounded by books and notes from Monday classes.

When Marinette noticed Adrien, she played a scene of moving from the living room to her bedroom – hoping he'd read between lines and wouldn't appear on her windowsill at eight. She did her best to hide her emotions when she caught his surprised look. Emotions that were totally opposite to each other.

To be sure that today meeting of the support group wouldn't take place, Marinette kept Véronique until the evening, trying to supress growing irritation when she heard her colleague's comments full of admiration addressed to the handsome roommate.

"I've had no idea you live with _the_ Adrien Agreste!" Véronique whispered in excitement, soon after Marinette had closed the door behind them.

"Not only with him. There are Alya and Nino as well…"

"Yeah, but… _Adrien_?! Now I get it why you didn't want to move in my dorm. If I were you I would never move out from here!"

"Vér… Please… Can you just calm down?"

"Sorry… Just tell me if he's dating anyone."

'_Yes!'_

'_No!'_

'_Yes!'_

"He is." Marinette muttered, and a thought occurred to her that it would be better to confront Cat Noir than to listen these raptures of her colleague.

"Sorry…" Véronique repeated. "I can see that I'm crossing into your territory. Don't worry, I'm out!"

'_No, it's not like that! It's not me… He's NOT dating me… I mean… he IS dating ME… I mean… Damn it…' _

"It's OK. Nothing happened…" Marinette murmured instead of screaming out those chaotic thoughts.

Véronique glanced at her friend unsure. She could see her embarrassment and she still remembered their talk from the last week about '_the special look_' – everything became clear for her immediately. She stood up.

"I'll get going…"

"Don't go yet!" Marinette protested. Véronique had to stay a bit longer! "I promised you my notes from Friday classes!"

"Just lend me your notebook. It's after eight in the evening, so I'd prefer to head home." Véronique explained.

"But… Vér…"

"It's OK, Mari… Just don't waste your time…" she added, seemingly out of the context, yet they both knew perfectly that it was referred to the previous subject. "I can see you hesitate, but there's no need to struggle…"

"Wh-Why do you think so?" Marinette stuttered embarrassed. Were her feelings so visible?

"If a guy was staring at me _that way_, I would be buying a wedding dress already!" Véronique chuckled and when she saw her friend's face, she burst out laughing.

They returned to the living room. Seeing laughing Véronique followed by their confused friend, Alya and Nino exchanged their glances. Marinette sighed internally noticing their reaction, as well as lack of Adrien couldn't be unnoticed – she could guess that he had understood her hint and withdrew to his bedroom. Instead of expected relief she felt an additional burden.

"Take care, Mari!" Véronique waved for goodbye. "See you tomorrow. Oh, and remember about that I told you!" she added and pointed her finger at her colleague.

Then she left and Marinette closed the door behind her with relief. Alya looked at Nino meaningfully and approached to her best friend.

"What was that?" she asked half-curious, half-anxious.

"That was Véronique Lumière, my colleague from the university. You've heard about her already."

"But… I mean what she mentioned at the end. What was that?"

"Oh, that… God… It's so embarrassing!" Marinette buried her face in her hands. "I'll tell you later. Now I really have to… I have to…" she hesitated, because she almost blurted out '_I have to hide from Cat Noir!_'

"What's going on, Mari?" Alya asked in concern.

"Everything's fine…" Marinette finally calmed down and added quickly: "I haven't got back on track with my life yet. You know, after catching a cold…"

"Can I help you anyhow?"

"Maybe… Maybe I'll take your magical bath again…" Marinette wondered aloud. Yes! The bath was another perfect excuse to stay away from her bedroom!

"Should I sit down again next to the door and talk to you?"

"Please, don't! You'll start making out with Nino again!"

"We'll be doing that anyway!" Alya grinned meaningfully.

"Can you do it in your bedroom? I'm not sure if I'm able to survive seeing that…"

"Especially when you don't have your Prince Charming who could lead you to your room."

"Shhh!" Marinette hissed and glared at her friend. She wasn't ready to face Adrien!

"Fine! I'm silent as the grave!" Alya winked at her then turned to Nino and suggested: "Hey, babe! Let's keep the innocent eyes safe from a sin…"

Marinette rolled her eyes, but she was glad that she managed to avoid meeting Cat Noir and Alya's cross-questioning. Although she felt some remorse, she hid in the bathroom with relief. This time she used bath not only for relaxation and inhalation but also for planning the next steps. Emotions in her heart were still unclear – on one hand she was happy knowing that Adrien was apparently in love with her, on the other hand she wanted to tear him into pieces for visiting her as his alter-ego to ask her about himself! It would be better for him to stay away for a while!

Yet… When she came back to her bedroom, all her outrage and frustration disappeared in a second. There was a white envelope lying on her pillow. A tangible proof that Cat Noir _had_ _visited_ her.


	21. The Letter

She hadn't expected _that_. It was… a complete nonsense! Marinette had been sitting with the letter in her hand for an hour or so, trying to understand what she'd just read. How could he have taken the blame?!

When she'd noticed the envelope on her pillow, her head was full of ideas what could be inside. But none of them prepared her for the letter she found in fact. She would never have suspected that he could feel responsible for her dodging. Nor that he would let her decide when she'd be ready to see him again.

But what she was worried about the most, was the thought that he'd learnt that she'd discovered his identity. Maybe this letter was a kind of a test? He'd check if she'd avoid only Cat Noir, or Adrien as well? If so, he'd get the confirmation that she knew. Unless he'd already known…

Marinette buried her face in her hands and groaned that expressed both: irritation and embarrassment. She was painfully aware that she'd confessed her old feelings to Adrien. The feelings that she'd promised to hide from him forever! Meanwhile he had got known about them directly from her! No wonder that he'd run away so quickly. Now she understood his reaction much better… His question about if she could love Adrien again – became also logical for her now…

That memory – of him asking about himself – was still more irritating than happy for her. Couldn't he really come here like a man?! And just tell her he was in love with her. But no! He had to come here as his alter-ego and question her!

And picking her up in both selves!

Yes! She was definitely irritated. By them both – Adrien and Cat Noir! She snorted, when she realised what she'd just thought. As if she'd forgotten that he was still the same person. Did it mean she was _double_ angry?

Did it mean she was in love doubly as well?

"You're really in love with him?" Tikki asked quietly.

"What?!" Marinette exclaimed in shock. "Are you reading my mind or I said it aloud?"

"You said it aloud."

"Oh… I hope Adrien couldn't hear it through the walls."

"I don't think they are so thin…" kwami noticed. "If you want, I can check what he's doing there."

"No!" the girl protested instantly.

"Don't worry, I can be discreet…"

"You're saying that like it wouldn't be the first time you do it…" Marinette glanced at her kwami suspicious. Tikki smiled and asked evasively:

"Where would you ever get an idea like that?"

"I know you. Have you peeped?" the girl didn't give up.

"Sometimes…" Tikki admitted.

Marinette looked at her in astonishment. She didn't expect her kwami to spy on Adrien. Suddenly it occurred to her that his kwami could do the same to her. What if Plagg told his holder that Ladybug lived next door?

"And?" she asked after a while.

"I think he'll tell you soon…"

"About what?"

"About what he was thinking over… Every time I checked him, he was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling or buried in his pillow. I can't read in minds…"

"Oh, poor Kitty…" Marinette sighed filled with compassion.

"You should give him a chance…"

"I know. And I will…" the girl replied carefully. "But not today. I'm still mad at him for this masquerade!"

"You don't know why he chose talking to you as Cat Noir. Maybe without a mask he couldn't find a courage to open up?"

"Aren't you too smart? How do you know about Adrien so much? Aren't you talking with his kwami?"

"You've become quite suspicious recently…" Tikki answered back.

"So you're talking…" Marinette muttered under her breath and her kwami giggled. They knew each other so well…

"It's irrelevant now. I told you this morning: it's time."

"But now I'm terrified when I think how he'd possibly react… After all you've just said, I start understanding why he chose talk to me as Cat Noir. But then he lost the right moment to stop. And then he got known that I loved him in high school. And now he loves me, but doesn't know if I could love him back again…"

"He already loved you when you were in high school…"

"He loved Ladybug…" the girl corrected. "And I was too stupid to understand that it didn't matter which my-selves he loved… Besides… As Marinette I was quite a miserable object of affection. A stuttering, clumsy girl when Adrien was around…"

"See? You also preferred hiding behind a mask…"

"No, it's not that… As Ladybug I was shy around him as well… He was so perfect… Now I know that I idealised him. You were right: I loved not only him, but a picture of him too… I didn't see his flaws…"

"Ideal people are boring…"

"You're right again!" Marinette smiled. "God, I was so stupid! Why people are so stupid when they're young?"

"You're still young!" Tikki chuckled. "You're saying this in such a tone as if you were a hundred years old with all your life behind."

"Because I feel like I've already carried a bundle of experiences…"

"What do you know about life…" kwami sighed. "You've just started your adult life."

"So, why am I feeling that way?"

"Welcome in the real world… Don't worry, everything's fine. Just give yourself some time. But don't waste it…"

"Véronique told me the same."

"She was right."

"Thanks, Tik…" Marinette whispered.

Then she looked again at the letter from Cat Noir. She'd read it a hundred times, yet she did it once again. Tikki left her holder alone with her thoughts. It was high time to deal with all those demons of the past, and Marinette should do it all by herself.

x x x

_Princess,_

_Please, don't think that I'm trying to impose myself on you. I couldn't ignore the fact that after our last talk you don't want to see me today. I hope I didn't offend you by leaving you so suddenly. If I did, please forgive me!_

_You must know that your story moved me very much. Thank you for trusting me and sharing it with me. Please, don't blame me that I didn't paid back by support you have every right to expect from your friend. I'm so ashamed that I let you down when you needed me._

_I know that it's impossible to answer to my letter. I can't give you my address if I want to keep my identity secret. Yet… If you wanted to forgive me and let me see you again, just leave a note on your windowsill. I'll try to grab it when I'm around._

_Once again, forgive me, Princess…_

_And I hope to see you someday…_

_C.N._


	22. The mug

For the next three days Marinette had been living like in a dream – but not sure if she liked the dream. Actually, she didn't. She missed Adrien who had hidden in his bedroom and none of his friends could see him at all. Marinette felt more and more guilty, yet with no idea how she could get him out of there.

What was worse, she noticed that Alya was worrying about the whole situation as well. Once or twice Marinette heard a question if she had argued with Adrien, but she denied immediately, so her friend let it go. However, Alya continued her consultation with Nino from a side, which meant they kept worrying about Adrien's mood.

Remorse and longing for Adrien made Marinette forget quickly about irritation she had felt when she'd discovered Cat Noir's identity. Now, she was more interested in figuring out why Adrien preferred to contact her as superhero when he had more possibilities to talk to her as a civilian self.

"Because he found me first as Cat Noir…" she said to herself, and Tikki rolled her eyes meaningful. She'd heard this for the hundredth time, for last three days…

"Marinette, it's about time to act!" kwami repeated annoyed a bit. "Otherwise you'll miss your moment again. Like some years ago…"

"I have no idea what's happening to me. I've already been quite normal. Is it possible that Adrien affects me?"

"That you're losing your head?"

"I meant rather that I'm losing my self-confidence." Marinette corrected wryly.

"Whatever…"

"I have to talk to him, but I can't go just like that and tell him that I know that's him. On the other hand, that was him who blurted out his secret identity, right? If it wasn't a dream, of course. But I'm almost one hundred percent sure that it happened _for real_. And that mug with Cheshire Cat, so Cat-Noir-like, yet Adrien's…"

"Marinette…" Tikki sighed. "You're babbling again… Stop overthinking and start acting. How, on earth, Luka managed to date you?"

"Because Luka didn't leave me any choice. All initiative was on his side. I didn't have to do anything, really…"

"So, Adrien is dull?"

"What?! No! Of course not!" the girl exclaimed outraged. "How could you think so?!"

"Simple conclusion from your comparison."

"I didn't compare that! I meant that Adrien is giving me time and opportunity to make my own decision…"

"He doesn't know how dangerous it is…" Tikki commented and her holder glared at her instantly.

"And I like that!" Marinette replied firmly. "At least I have something to say! Not like going with the flow where the river goes. You saw the meander where Luka left me…"

"Metaphors… It's worse than I thought…" kwami noticed. "Are you sure you're OK?"

"Véronique was right. There's no need to struggle. And you're also right. Yes. I'll talk to him tomorrow. I'll leave a note on my windowsill. As soon as I survive tomorrow classes with that idiot, Pierre. I hate Fridays! Oh, and I have to finish that design for these classes! I almost forgot about it. Ugh, that pressure that it has to be perfect. I can't let him throw it into pieces again. That would end up with a chat with Hawkmoth…"

"You should never make jokes about that, Marinette…" Tikki warned. "You know you're not allowed to attract the akuma."

"Don't worry. I'll never let them come to me!"

"So, get to work, because it's almost midnight…"

Marinette nodded and sat down at the desk. It was after two a.m. when she drank last sip of cold tea. She barely saw anything and it was high time to go to sleep, but she needed to finish her work. She knew she needed more green tea, so she got up with a sigh of tiredness.

She didn't bother to turn on the light in the living room. Instinctively she directed to the kitchenette with Adrien's favourite mug in her hands. And she stopped, frozen. Next to the fridge there was the mug's owner in person.

They both stayed speechless and motionless. None of them expected to meet the other one in the middle of the night.

"I'll get going…" Adrien murmured, looking away.

Instantly, Marinette felt guilty. She knew she should tell him that he shouldn't take the blame if he hadn't done anything wrong! He couldn't keep thinking that she didn't like him! Because he looked like he'd kept thinking that.

"Adrien?" she asked him and that stopped him halfway.

He turned back and glanced at her unsure.

"I've been thinking…" she began, embarrassed. "Uhm… Actually… I… I think I should give it back to you…" she said not exactly what she wanted to say. She handed him the mug.

"But you like it…" he replied carefully.

"But it's your favourite." she whispered, looking down at the mug with hesitation. She didn't want to give it back.

"Then you should keep it…" Adrien said, approaching to her. He brushed his hands over her palms keeping the mug and he moved it towards her.

She looked up astonished. It was only a distance of their hands and a mug between them. In fact, if she stood on her tiptoes their noses could touch each other… Was he…? Was he going to kiss her? And why did she forget how to breathe? '_Breathe, Marinette!_' she told herself.

"Thank you…" she whispered, staring at his eyes.

"You're welcome…" he replied softly.

Then he let her go and withdrew to his bedroom. She stayed in the kitchenette with the black mug in her hands. And with her heart racing in her chest…


	23. Ladybug to the rescue

Before the classes with Pierre de la Coste Marinette was so nervous that nothing could calm her down. Even her memories of the last talk with Adrien – especially its end with the Cheshire Cat mug in the leading role, that had lightened up her day, couldn't help her now.

When de la Coste appeared at the door, Marinette's stomach made a triple flip, and she clenched her fists. Fortunately, her project had been safely put down on the table before, otherwise it would have been ruined right now. She glanced at the design to check if it was okay, and because of that she missed the moment when the most hated teacher turned into an ordinary pig. Before students managed to express their delight, a strange furry creature entered the classroom and yelled:

"What will you say now, you pig?! Maybe that will teach you to respect the others!"

The students applauded, but Marinette felt torn between her duties and satisfaction of seeing her oppressor punished so spectacularly. She was sure the creature was akumatised, yet she had no idea about the reason of akumatisation nor superpowers of the villain. All in all, she had to defeat the opponent as soon as possible. And to do so, she had to escape the classroom quickly and unnoticeably.

"Quiet!" the supervillain silenced the students. "You're not better than him! I'm Fur Fury and I'll teach you to respect our planet and animals!"

The joy was immediately gone. Some girls began screaming in horror, and Marinette felt she was running out of time. She had to leave the room somehow and to help her colleagues to run away from the supervillain. Fortunately, Pierre de la Coste – at the moment in the form of a fat hog – was making a fuss that engaged Fur Fury enough to create an opportunity for superheroine.

Hidden behind desks, Marinette led her colleagues to the exit. She was the last who went through the door, but before she did it, she looked back if everyone had left the classroom. At that moment, she noticed Cat Noir who had just appeared on a window sill. He was checking the room to assess the situation. And finally, their eyes met. His face twitched as if he was horrified with a thought how close to the danger she'd been. Marinette nodded to give him a hint that everything was okay with her. After that she ran away to let him focus on the fight.

She immediately went to the toilet to transform into Ladybug, so she could go to fight by her partner's side. When she jumped in the classroom she saw Cat Noir trying to avoid Fur Fury's shots. The Hog de la Idiot was squeaking and writhing – and definitely not helping in the fight against the supervillain.

"I'll turn you into a mouse, you alley cat!" Fury yelled.

"I admit I'm Cat Noir, but I don't eat mice!" the superhero laughed. "Actually, I barely eat meat. You could say I'm almost a vegetarian."

Ladybug glanced at him amused. A couple days ago he ate a pizza with salami that was totally opposite to a vegetarian meal.

"You can lie all you want!" Fury mocked. "But as soon as I hit you, we'll know the truth! You'll turn into an animal you've just eaten."

"Oh… So you're one of those fanatic vegetarians…" Ladybug commented ironically just to distract the opponent.

"This world is heading for destruction!" the superviallain yelled, unknowingly touching her WWF panda necklace.

"Thank you for helping in its way!" Ladybug answered back, noticing a plausible object hiding the akuma.

"Not true! All I want is to make people aware what they're doing to those animals, to the planet!"

"Lucky charm!" Superheroine stopped chatting and went to the action.

After a second she caught a plate with a steak on it. Fur Fury rushed at her immediately, but Ladybug eluded the attack luckily, shouting to Cat Noir: '_The necklace!_'. He destroyed it with his 'cataclysm' and the fight was over. Ladybug purified the akuma. Seconds later both superheroes recognised a famous supermodel, sitting on the floor, confused, not remembering anything that had happened.

"What… What happened?" the woman asked.

"You were akumatised." Ladybug explained, sitting down next to the blonde.

"And what's that pig doing here?"

"You turned one of teachers into a hog. I have no idea what he'd done to you, but knowing him, I'm sure it was something nasty."

"You're right. The last thing I remember was an affront. But it started before, when I was on a meeting with one of the most popular designers. Have you heard about Gabriel Agreste, maybe?"

Cat Noir froze, and Ladybug felt her heart stopped for a moment. Poor Adrien! She couldn't do anything to help him, except answering on behalf of them both:

"We've heard about him…"

"He tried to make me pose in fur coats. In _animal's natural_ furs! Can you imagine?! I made it clear in my contract! Everyone in fashion knows about my priorities! So, I left disgusted. But it wasn't the end. Right after the argument with Agreste, I met this hog. He told me that I'm '_no one_', because I come from the country with no achievements in fashion. Idiot! He doesn't know what he's talking about! And I am not '_no one_'! I've worked with the best ones in the industry! I know almost all catwalks in the world. I've been on Vogue's covers!"

"We know that…" Ladybug muttered. Cat Noir glanced at her in astonishment. Of course, he knew the supermodel, but how on Earth Ladybug could know her as well?

"I feel so helpless…" the blonde continued. "People are so stupid. They're not aware that they devastate the planet. They use the cheapest fuel to heat their houses and then they breathe the air polluted by themselves. Their children breathe the same air. What will they leave as their legacy?"

"Don't lose your faith in people…" Ladybug smiled. "Never give up. We also save Paris every single time for something bigger. For the better future…"

"Thank you."

"So, what are we going to do with that hog?" Cat Noir cut in.

His partner looked down at her lucky charm in hesitation.

"I almost regret to use the spell fixing all damages…" she sighed. "That idiot will turn back to his mean self. I'm more than sure that he hasn't learnt anything from this lesson…"

Cat Noir took a glance at her, uncertain. Did it mean that Pierre de la Coste's reputation was so well-known?

"We have to go back…" he muttered to Ladybug and then turned to the supermodel: "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm great, thank you. I'm so grateful for giving me back the faith in young people."

"You're welcome!" Ladybug replied and added in whisper: "Oh, and thank you for the therapeutic salt. I know someone whom it helped a lot…"

Then she used her spell '_Miraculous Ladybug!_' and observed detransforming the hog into Pierre de la Coste. She sighed regretfully. '_Welcome back, you jerk…_'

"You should apologise to this lady!" Cat Noir commanded to the teacher, indicating the supermodel. "Not only to this one…" he added under his breath.

Ladybug looked at her partner gratefully. Soon after, they both jumped out to the nearest rooftop. Both should go back to their work interrupted by the akuma attack, yet neither of them could do it. Cat Noir apparently was plucking up the courage to say something…

"Are you okay, Cat?" Ladybug finally asked, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Not quite…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"You're not rushing back?" he glanced at her, surprised.

"I'll manage." She assured him. "I don't have to go too far…" she added quietly, rather to herself.

"Er…"

"What's bothering you?"

"You can retrieve everything that akuma destroys, right? Could… Could you fix something that was ruined by someone who wasn't akumatised?"

She knew perfectly what he was referring to. She felt a heartache. For a moment she was tempted to tell him the whole truth right now, but she gave up quickly. They were standing on the rooftop in the middle of a day, and someone could notice them any minute. The more, she wasn't sure how he would react on the news she had for him…

"What happened, Cat?" she asked softly instead.

"I screwed up…" he confessed and sat down as if he couldn't stand up straight anymore.

"Don't you dramatize too much?" she tried with a joke, but he looked at her with such reproach that she immediately sat down next to him and embraced his shoulders. "I'm sorry…"

"How would you feel if your happiness was at your fingertips, and you ruined everything?"

"I'm sure you can fix it!" Ladybug comforted him, internally kicking herself for not answering for Cat's letter.

"She unbosomed herself to me. She told me everything. Everything, you know? And I left. I left her. Can you imagine?! What did she think about me?!" he asked with pain in his voice, and she felt like start crying. She could tell him now that she hadn't thought anything bad about him. She hadn't answered his message not because of being mad about his leaving, but because of discovering his true identity.

"Why don't you talk to her?" she suggested.

"I let her decide if she wants to see me again…"

"You _have to_ talk to her."

"But she doesn't want to see me…"

"Not at…" she began, but stopped in the middle of '_not at all_.' "Oh, Cat…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't bother you with my love problems…"

"You're not bothering me… It's just…"

"I know. That's weird that I'm talking with you about my girlfriend, right?"

"You already did it once. Remember?"

"That was ages ago. And that was a mistake…"

"Why are you so sure, Cat? Maybe you wouldn't be the same person if you weren't with… her?" she hesitated, because she almost blurted out '_Kagami_'.

"I don't know…" Cat Noir shrugged. "I'd be happier without that part of my life."

"You'll never know. My kwami always says that everything happens for something. Maybe even that latest akuma was for a reason?"

"Maybe for my heart attack. You have no idea how I felt when I saw her so close to the supervillain…"

"Her?"

"Ma… My girlfriend."

"Oh…" she sighed and felt hot. Like last night when they were hugging the mug. "Talk to her." She insisted and squeezed his shoulder.

"But…"

"Don't wait for a message. Just go to her. Trust me!"

Saying it she ran away, before she gave up and kissed him right there. She left Cat Noir on the rooftop and his face expressed how confused he was.


	24. Fourth time lucky

Marinette couldn't wait the end of the classes. Fortunately, Pierre de la Idiot was so affected with his adventure with the supervillain that he forgot to be mean. He even stuttered a kind of praise of Marinette's design – that totally astounded her. Besides, the whole group acted unusual, as if still under the spell – or shock – of Fur Fury. It looked like it had been their first direct contact with an akumatised person, yet considering years of Hawkmoth's activity, that was highly impossible…

Finally, the class was dismissed and they were free to go. Pierre ran away as the first one, as if he was afraid of being asked about his short career as a hog. Marinette took the opportunity to collect her belongings and to go home as quickly as possible. She expected Cat Noir's visit. She decided to leave a note on the windowsill – just in case he wouldn't follow her advice and preferred to keep waiting for a letter. That meant she should get going, so she felt irritation when she heard Véronique asking:

"Are you going already?"

'_Obviously!_' Marinette wanted to yell in answer, instead she muttered:

"I'm late, actually…"

"Have you talked to Adrien already?"

"I'm going to talk to him today…"

"Oh, I get it… Just go. And good luck!"

"Uhm, thanks…"

Saying it, Marinette left the classroom in a rush. On one hand, Véronique had encouraged her before the talk with Cat Noir. On the other hand – that short conversation had taken a few minutes, when Marinette didn't want to waste any second anymore. Not after that what had happened in the kitchen last night, nor after what Cat Noir had told her on the rooftop this afternoon. Suddenly she realised that she couldn't wait any day longer. So, if Cat Noir checked her windowsill and didn't find a letter from her, he could go into his shell for ever. Or at least until tomorrow…

At first, she was tempted to use Ladybug's superpowers to get home faster, but Tikki persuaded her not to do it:

"You never know who's watching you from the shadows. Just remember that you've had some superhero admirer, who can patrol your way back home."

"You're right! He came here last week, when it was raining…" Marinette recalled. "But… Tikki… I think that after what he said this afternoon, we can be quite safe. He wouldn't come here to walk me home."

"But it doesn't mean he cannot watch you from one of the rooftops…" kwami answered back. "I suggest being careful and going home as a civilian."

"Ugh… OK. You've convinced me. Let's go…" Marinette sighed and made her way towards home.

All her way back home was discreetly observed by a pair of green eyes. Cat Noir stayed hidden on rooftops, just to keep watching if she was safely home. When he saw her room lightened up, he sighed with relief. And with anxiety… He planned to visit her, but he had no idea what was waiting for him there. Yet… He remembered their unexpected meeting in the kitchen last night. He had almost kissed her there! And she didn't act like she didn't want to be kissed…

But… He was there as Adrien, not as Cat Noir…

He shook his head in despair. He'd messed it up. He made her choose between his two identities. Such a moron! He shook off those thoughts. He needed to make a move! Especially, when Marinette seemed to invite him by opening her window – as if she wanted to send him a message that he would be welcome.

He jumped off the rooftop and seconds later he landed on the windowsill.

"Good evening, Purrinces!" he greeted her with a shy smile.

"Oh, good evening…" she replied softly, turning around toward him.

"Ready for our support group meeting?" he asked, as if he was at ease.

"No." she said, looking at him seriously. "Today I've decided to solve the problem of my broken heart once and for all."

"H-How?" he stuttered, suddenly frightened by a thought that she would kick him out and tell him to never come back. He glanced at her uncertain and – just in case – he jumped off the windowsill. Then he risked a question: "Are you going to give up with love forever?"

"No. I've chosen an option of fighting fire with fire." She answered, then approached and just kissed him.

At first, he was too astonished to react properly. That was so unrealistic that everything shaped up so well. At the same time, that was so real – Marinette's lips on his, her hands around his neck. This kiss was surprisingly familiar, or maybe they were just made for each other, so that was why he felt so comfortable?

However, he was so focused on experiencing that moment, that Marinette understood his passiveness totally wrong. Suddenly, she lost her determination and broke the kiss. Her hands left his neck, but she didn't move away from him farther than centimetres, when he murmured barely understandable 'No!' and followed her to kiss her back.

He hugged her tight, and she clung to him in response. They could kiss for the eternity and still didn't have enough. When they broke the kiss for a moment, they looked at each other's eyes, touching with their noses, as if they already missed their lips.

"So… That's the feeling…" Marinette whispered and stroke Cat Noir's cheek. "When your dreams have come true…"

"You've dreamt about kissing me, Princess?" he grinned triumphantly.

"You both, actually."

"Wait, are you comparing me to someone else?" he moved back a bit and looked at her carefully. "You have a rank list or something?"

"Silly Kitty!" she laughed. "I mean you, Adrien. And you." She added pointing him and the wall between their bedrooms.

"You've known?!" he stammered in astonishment.

"I've worked it out, finally. You disappeared as Adrien just before showing up as Cat Noir. You came back home just after Cat Noir left. Then the mug. Oh, and those night visits when I was sick. It wasn't difficult to discover but to believe…"

"So, that's why you kissed me? Because you know I'm _him_?" he asked disappointed.

Marinette glared at him and crossed her arms.

"You're asking for being kicked out though that window, Cat! What's the difference if I kiss you or Adrien? If only you're not a schizophrenic, you're the same person!" suddenly she stopped and added with a soft smile: "I must admit that I'm relieved that I don't have to choose between you two…"

Then on impulse, she hugged him tight to keep him close – just in case he wanted to run away or to push her away. But he only embraced her and purred happily.

"Just hypothetically…" he murmured with a grin, and she sighed theatrically. "Who would be your choice?"

"To re-populate the Earth?" she spotted, and he laughed quietly in her hair, because they recalled the same conversation. "It depends… I'll have more beautiful children with Adrien. With you there's a risk that kids would have black ears and little black tails…"

"I think I'll be disappointed when they don't have tails…" he muttered and she chuckled.

For a moment they both were giggling, still embraced tightly. And they felt just like in heaven. Suddenly, Marinette pulled away and whispered:

"Oh, that's terrible…"

"What?"

"I've just imagined a perfect design of kids' pyjamas. I have to draw it right now!" She made a move, but Cat Noir caught her immediately and said in a firm tone:

"No. You'll do this later."

"But…"

"No…" he repeated. "Now it time for cuddles. Too many times I've seen my father escaped to work on his designs. I won't let you do the same."

"But the idea!" Marinette tried again. "I'll forget the idea…"

"You won't, purromise…" he assured her. " I still remember what've inspired you…" he added and she giggled and cuddled up to him.

"You know, Cat?" she asked after a moment. "I've just thought that…"

"Yes?" he murmured, content, still lost in thoughts about children in cat-pyjamas.

"It would be better if you detransformed…" she whispered.

"So, _Adrien_?" he winced.

"Rather a pragmatism."

"I've already told you that my suit can be taken off…" he winked at her meaningfully, reaching the cat bell.

"Caaat… Just try to think about consequences…" she rolled her eyes.

"Considering the fact that I'm thinking about our children with black tails, I must admit that I am thinking about the consequences…"

"Caaat…" she muttered. "I'm serious. Alya has already caught you here. If she came in now, or worse – five minutes ago, when we were kissing, you couldn't date me as Adrien. And bear in mind that we spend more time when you're in a civilian self." She explained.

"You're a very practical person…" he admitted after a while. "I like that. Fine… Plagg, claws in!"

At the next moment there was Adrien, standing in front of her with a shy smile.


	25. Kagami

"So, now explain yourself!" Marinette smiled coquettishly. "Why were you picking me up as both selves?"

"It wasn't intentional, believe me!" Adrien admitted. "I just… I just couldn't keep away from you…" he added and pulled her closer.

"Yeah, right…" she rolled her eyes not believing a word. "Why did you start as Cat Noir, then?" she asked and wrapped her hands around his neck.

He couldn't miss the opportunity of kissing her again. He had a feeling that when he'd started, he would never stop. That was something new for him, because he'd never felt that way before. Even… Even when he'd dated Kagami…

Suddenly, a thought about his ex-girlfriend made his blood curdle. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead on Marinette's forehead. For a moment he stayed that way, with his eyes closed, and she was stroking his neck, as if she knew what was happening in his mind.

"Tell me about Kagami…" she whispered.

"Now?!" he jerked his head and looked at her in shock.

"You haven't yet." Marinette smiled.

"Now it's irrelevant…" he shook his head. "A fire-fire method worked faster and more efficiently than in your case."

"In my case it would be faster if you didn't make me confused by picking me up as Adrien and as Cat Noir. How did it happen that after months of sitting in your room you chose me to help you instead of Nino who was at hand? Theoretically we hadn't seen each other for years!"

Adrien glanced at her, uncertain. For a while he was struggling with thought, but finally he sat down in the armchair and pulled her to sit down with him. She sat on his lap and put her legs through the arm of the chair. She leaned her head against the backrest and – watching Adrien carefully – waited for his story.

"On that day I had enough of all this deadlock. I knew overworking on programming was my excuse to stop thinking about losing my time. But that led me to wasting it more and more. Suddenly I realised that it had been like three years of not moving on…"

"So, not months but… years?" Marinette asked in whisper and reached his hair to stroke it softly.

"Seems like that…" he glanced at her, and her heart ached when she saw so much pain in his eyes. "I was sneaking out sometimes as Cat Noir, prowling around… And two weeks ago, somehow… I just came to you. When I saw you on your balcony, I thought it was quite natural to visit you and to ask you for support. We used to be good friends, right?"

Marinette nodded without a word, but she knew that they were so much more for each other. They were partners. And he also was her first love…

"At that moment I thought that maybe if I tell you about my problems, I'd be able to move on… I couldn't foresee that your house was about to collapse and instead of talking about my life I'll be saving yours. When I recall that moment, when you told me about collapsing, my heart stops every single time. It was so close… I could lose you and I wouldn't even know about it! If I didn't visit you that day, you could…" he stopped suddenly and tears appeared in his eyes.

Marinette smiled tenderly and ruffled his hair. He didn't know that she could have saved herself on her own. Besides, the danger wasn't that serious as they thought. The house was still standing…

"But everything had a happy end…" she said softly. "You brought me here and all of you took care of me… However, I was so confused that day…"

"It wasn't an easy evening for me either. I had to be careful not to blurt out my superhero identity…"

"Oh…" Marinette blushed suddenly when she remembered that dinner. "All those jokes… About kittens… That must have been killing you…"

"Didn't you see that I stopped eating?" Adrien laughed.

"Oh, Alya was unbearable that evening! She insisted so hard that you should have an opinion on my dating Cat Noir! And all that investigation…"

"At least I have told you my name before the wedding…" he joked, recalling what Marinette had said that evening.

"I don't remember you proposing…" she muttered.

"You preferred to shack up?"

"Seriously, Cat?"

"Well… that's what people say about a couple who's not married but living together, right? But honestly, I'd prefer our kittens weren't illegitimate."

"So in hurry to have kids?" she glanced at him suspiciously and it suddenly occurred to her: "Everything to avoid the answer, right?"

"What was the question?"

"About Kagami…"

"You told me that you didn't want to know what had happened!" he reminded her with reproach, but she only rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to know details!" she winced. "Probably I'd jump out of the window…"

"I know that feeling…" he muttered, and when she glanced at him, intrigued, he explained: "I wanted to jump out every time you mentioned Luka…"

"You asked!"

"I know. I was a fool. I don't know why I asked… Maybe to feel worse…"

"Or maybe to help me?" she smiled and put her fingers in his hair, slightly moving between strands. Her eyes followed her palm as if watching a light in his hair was a kind of therapy. "I think that I wouldn't be the same person if I wasn't with Luka…"

"Don't tell me I should thank him!" he winced.

"Are you jealous?" she chuckled and glanced at him. "You _should_ thank him. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't with him…"

"And what… What if he came back?" Adrien asked, feeling a knot in his throat.

"Probably he would be happy that I'm happy…" she whispered and continued observing the light in his hair. "I don't know… Maybe not… Our break up wasn't amicable."

"But if he came and begged you to forgive him and…"

"No, Adrien." she stopped him by putting a finger on his lips. "That's the ended story. You know… It wasn't easy but I have forgiven him. I didn't want to keep that sorrow in my heart. But I'll never get together with him again. He cheated on me. He broke my heart…"

"I broke your heart too… I betrayed you." Adrien whispered.

"When?" she was surprised.

"Ladybug, Kagami…"

Marinette hid a smile when she thought that Adrien counted her alter-ego as her own opponent. On the other hand she realised that it was high time to share her big secret with Adrien – as if Tikki sent her a message with a reminder, using a telepathy or a virtual glare. It awakened a hint of anxiety.

"How could you betray me? We were friends, Adrien. We weren't a couple. All I could do was to support you when your heart decided…"

"I don't know if my _heart_ decided… Kagami was the first girl that I felt comfortable with. Besides, she gave me a sense of safety. I knew she cared about me, the real me. Not the famous Adrien Agreste, the model, but me, just Adrien… We became friends. She… She kind of domesticated me… Just later…" he hesitated and winced. "I needed some time and some distance to discover how toxic was our relation. When I left for a few weeks I saw our relationship, finally free from her influence. And I realised how possessive and jealous she was. She cut me off from all my friends. I was to be only hers. She was the same like my father. He also wanted to keep me locked in the house, completely isolated. Now I get it why he was so happy seeing me with Kagami. He knew I was protected from the world. And under control. So… When I understood that all, I broke up with her. Immediately after coming back to Paris. God, she was so furious!"

"Oh, I remember…" Marinette sighed. "I didn't know that akuma was caused by your split. Oh, it was such a tough fight. I was afraid that we wouldn't defeat her."

"But… you weren't there…" he was surprised. "How…?"

"Adrien… I think I should have told you earlier… Uhm… I was there… By your side."

He glanced at her in shock. So many thoughts crossed his mind, so many memories hit him at the same moment, but he couldn't believe that two the most important girls in his life turned out to be one…

"Wait…" he muttered.

"Just calm down, Adrien…"

"How can I be calmed down?!"

His reaction surprised her. No expected delight, relief or maybe a hint of disbelief… He kept her in his embraces, on his lap, but looked at her, frowned – as if something was growing inside him, something that was about to explode. And finally it exploded, indeed.

"So, now I get it, at last! Your questions on the rooftop this afternoon and your advice to come to my girlfriend. You knew I was talking about you! And you didn't tell me anything! No wonder that you kissed me as soon as I get here. I'd already confessed my feelings even though I had no idea I was confessing _to you_!"

"Let me remind you that I confessed my feelings to you a week ago. And I also didn't know that I was confessing _to you_!" Marinette answered back wryly.

"So you decided to pay back?"

"Do you think it was easy to reveal my identity?"

"I do hope it wasn't. At least I understand finally why you were asking about Ladybug at the beginning…" he said with reproach.

"Why?"

"To make sure I don't blame you for breaking my heart?"

"Nonsense!" she replied outraged. "I'd rather say that you were questioning me about yourself, hiding under your mask! How will you explain all those allusions to the programmer living next door? Then you came here as Cat Noir, despite taking care of me as Adrien, so you could come normally, in your civilian self… But no! You preferred to ask a million questions about Adrien as if he was a stranger to you…"

The guilt appeared on his face immediately. He glanced at her remorseful.

"I'm not proud of that…" he admitted after a while. "But… After all that… it was so difficult to believe that someone could… you know… so selflessly… and not so possessively… just love me…" he confessed and her heart melted instantly.

"My poor sunshine… And how could I argue with you?"

"See? I'm so pathetic that you even can't quarrel with me…"

Marinette began stroking his hair, and he hid his face in her neck, as if he needed her comforting him. He hugged her closer and then he looked up. For a while they were staring in each other's eyes, but at the next moment Adrien muttered something under his breath and kissed her – but not like he'd kissed her before, but passionately, as if he couldn't express all the feelings suppressed for so long. They were so focused on themselves that they didn't react neither to short knocking nor to a sudden opening of the door. They broke their kiss when they heard Alya's:

"Nino, I think I have a heart attack…"


	26. Unexpected

Alya was standing at the door with hands on her chest. Nino appeared immediately by her side and stared in shock at their friends caught red handed.

"I knocked!" Alya informed. "Even twice!"

Marinette was aware how ambiguous – or rather _unambiguous_ the situation was. Noticing their position in the armchair, tight embraces, and where their hands were… - that was more than enough to draw conclusions. All she could do now was to congratulate herself that Adrien had detransformed before Alya caught her best friend making out with Cat Noir. Yet, she still felt uncomfortable under the watchful gaze of her roommates. Especially, when Alya's surprised look turned soon into an amused one.

"I told you you'd be making out with him!" Alya stated with satisfaction. "And you denied instantly!"

"Er, dude…" Nino muttered trying to cover his embarrassment. "Haven't you heard about hanging a tie or a sock on the doorknob?"

"I haven't seen anything on your doorknob, so far…" Adrien muttered and tried to move unnoticeably his hand from Marinette's back, thinking by the way how it was possible that things had gone too far so quickly.

"Oh, because it's so obvious why we shut the door!" Alya grinned meaningfully, not even trying to pretend that she hadn't noticed where Adrien's hand had been a while ago. "But now we'll be more aware of what's going on _here_, behind the closed door…" she added and winked at her best friend.

"Thanks, Al…" Marinette smiled in reply, what was quite astonishing for Adrien who expected rather some denials, awkward explanations, or diversion of their friends' attention from the subject. Meanwhile he observed a calm acceptation, as if he was the last one who was surprised by the current course of events.

"I hope I don't have to explain that whole embarrassing things like where kids come from?" Alya laughed.

"I think we got it, so let it go, can you?" Marinette muttered.

"I don't know…" Alya teased. "Of course, I'm so happy for you two, yet… I hoped for some kittens somehow… You know… Dating a superhero… That's _something_…"

"I've had no idea that you have this kind of fantasies…" Nino murmured, kissing her arm.

Marinette exchanged amused glances with Adrien. Only their friends remained oblivious that their little secret wasn't a secret at all…

"I've already told you, Al…" Marinette cut in. "Dating Cat Noir would be impractical. Especially, when you have a habit of coming here unexpectedly. That would drive us in the anxiety neurosis…"

"Oh? So that's why you chose Adrien? Not to get neurosis?" Alya asked ironically.

"That's right!" her friend answered back. "Also, it will be easier to take off his clothes than Cat Noir's suit."

"You don't know _that_!" Alya accepted the challenge, and Adrien choked with laughter, so he hid his face in Marinette's arm. "Unless… Unless you have already checked it…" she added in astonishment.

"Yeah, right. I'm sleeping with all guys around…" Marinette replied sarcastically, but stopped immediately when she caught Adrien's pleading eyes – he was practically run out of breath because of supressed laugh.

"I didn't say that!" Alya denied in a defending tone, misreading her friends' glances. "I was joking, Adrien… Don't take it seriously…"

"It's… It's fi-fine…" he stuttered, catching his breath.

"Honestly, I'm very happy for you, really! Finally, after so many years…" Alya blurted out and immediately she covered her mouth with her palms and looked at her best friend, terrified. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Mari…"

"Don't worry. Adrien knows."

"Really? You couldn't tell him for years, and _now_ you told him?"

"By accident…"

"Oh, God!" Alya finally understood. "That's why… Oh my… Those days now…"

Marinette only smiled. It was better to let her friend believe that revealing _this_ secret was the reason of those few silent days between them. That would help keeping another secret safe for longer.

"What are you talking about?" Nino asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later." his girlfriend promised and turned to the couple in the armchair: "Now you can congratulate me!"

"Why's that?" Marinette asked suspiciously, suddenly alarmed.

"I told you I'd match you, or I'm not Alya Césaire!"

"You didn't tell me anything like that!" the brunette replied.

"Uhm… Al?" Nino cut in, embarrassed. "Actually…"

"What's up?" Alya turned to his boyfriend, intrigued.

"Oh, man…" the boy scratched his neck more and more uncomfortable. "Now, there's pointless…"

"Nino?"

"I kind of hoped that you'd fail…"

"_What_?!" the three exclaimed in shock. No one expected that Nino wouldn't want Adrien and Marinette to be together!

"I wish you weren't Césaire…"

"What am I supposed to be?!" Alya glared at him and crossed her arms on her chest. That looked like a prelude to fight. Adrien and Marinette glanced at their friend anxiously. He'd better have a good excuse…

"Lahiffe…" Nino answered simply.

And that was all he said, before his girlfriend fell into his arms and began kissing him passionately. After a second he started kissing her back, and Adrien exchanged surprised glances with Marinette.

"Get a room!" Marinette joked, and Adrien laughed in her arm.

When Alya and Nino, clung together and still kissing rolled out to the living room, Marinette jumped on her feet to close the door behind them. Adrien stood up and followed her. They stopped at the almost closed door and peeped through to see kneeling Nino, and Alya with crossed arms.

"Do you even have a ring?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why are you asking? You won't agree without a ring?" Nino joked.

"Without a ring it doesn't count!"

"Of course, I have a ring!"

"We've heard enough…" Marinette whispered.

And she closed the door.


	27. The first love

Adrien was standing just behind Marinette, so she had to turned back and pushed him away to move. But he didn't even budge. Instead he began kissing her.

"Wait, wait… I think I was about to argue with you about something…" she whispered between kisses.

"Hurry up, because I'm already in a reconcile part…" Adrien joked and started kissing her neck.

"But… I can't focus…" she confessed and he chuckled.

"Purrfect…"

"Don't you think we should go on a date first?" she sighed, realising by the way that her legs wrapped around his waist somehow…

"No."

"No?!" she exclaimed outraged.

"Not on _a_ date, Mari…" he specified. "I'm going to take you for a hundred, for a thousand, for a million dates. No. For _n_ dates as _n_ approaches infinity…"

"You're such a nerd, Agreste!" she laughed.

"_Your_ nerd, Purrinces…"

"And you really want to wait for so long? For a million dates?"

"Wait for what?"

"For a continuation of what we're doing right now…" she giggled.

"I've waited enough…"

"Ouch, what an impatient Cat you are! Two weeks are long?"

"The whole life…" he corrected her, gazing at her with such a fire in his eyes, that she ran out of breath.

And then he kissed her again. They separated from the wall and Adrien – still kissing her – moved them back to the armchair. Marinette felt a bit dizzy, as if she was drunk.

"You're going to my head like a champagne…" she whispered. "And I think I'm addicting to your kisses."

Adrien laughed in reply.

"So am I, M'Lady…"

"Your lady, that's correct. And you're mine. My own Kitty…"

"It turns out that Alya's method really works…" Adrien murmured, continuing kissing Marinette's neck.

"What method?" she chuckled, and he looked up in surprise.

"Fighting fire with fire…" he reminded her.

"That's not quite accurate…" she said carefully.

"What do you mean?" he glanced at her intrigued.

"I've just realised that if I'd known your identity a few years ago, we wouldn't have needed all those support group meetings. No broken hearts… Just us. Happily ever after…"

"But you've just said that if we weren't…" he hesitated and after a moment he continued: "If we didn't learn from our experiences, we wouldn't be the people we're now."

"I've really said something that smart?"

"Even twice. First, to me on the rooftop, and then here, about yourself. And now I'm thinking that…"

"What?" she asked, when he suddenly stopped.

"If I didn't lose you then, I wouldn't appreciate how wonderful you are. How could I miss that?"

"Because I used to act like a total idiot when you were around. I couldn't even speak properly. Don't you remember?"

"I thought you were just shy… And that was cute…"

"You're saying that now, because you're blind now."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" he winked at her.

"No."

"I've never felt so comfortable before…" he whispered and nestled down, holding her closer. "I don't know how I'll manage to leave tonight."

"So don't…" she blurted out, and as soon as she noticed his surprised look, she understood how he could – and undoubtedly had interpreted her words.

"Really?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"That's _not_ what I meant!" she muttered, blushing terribly. "I meant that no one is kicking you out yet."

"So I can't stay for the night?"

"Cat…" she rolled her eyes. "We haven't been on a date yet. Even one!"

"What about all those meetings so far?"

"Those were meetings of _the_ _support group_."

"Maybe at the beginning. I started seeing them as dates from the third one I guess…"

"I haven't noticed flowers nor compliments. Nor tender gestures… Nor kisses… How on earth were they dates for you?"

"What can I say? Every time I wanted to do something like that, something happened. Like Alya's coming in, or you were sick, or you started talking about your ex-boyfriend… How was I supposed to kiss you in such circumstances?"

"Well, that's good you didn't kiss me when I was sick, because I'd have to take care of you now… And I'm not sure if I managed. Men die of a cold…"

"Stereotypes!" he laughed. "You're saying like you've never taken care of an ill man…"

"Because I haven't."

"Luka wasn't sick ever?"

Marinette felt a stomach cramp when she recalled her ex-boyfriend. His shadow was still there, in a corner… Adrien felt the change in her mood instantly and he winced when he realised he'd just ruined the evening.

"He was sick once or twice…" Marinette admitted after a while. "But… Uhm… I'd say that we weren't so close…"

"You didn't…?" Adrien began but stopped, embarrassed. He didn't want to ask about the most intimate things so directly.

"No! Of course we did…" she replied calmly, watching Adrien's reaction. She knew that this question was in the air, and Adrien should expect that the answer would be like that not the opposite. Same, Marinette presumed that his answer would be similar. So she preferred not to ask. "There are different types of closeness. I have to confess that when I was sick recently, I realised that you were the first person that I let see me in such a miserable state. You have no idea how… how intimate… it was…"

"Really?" he was surprised. "For me it was quite natural."

"You must have got used to that, right? I bet you took care of Kagami every time she was ill…" she muttered and Adrien smiled when he heard a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Kagami has never been sick. She couldn't. That would mean she's weak. And she couldn't be weak."

Marinette looked at him carefully. Suddenly she realised that not only Luka still stayed in a shadow. Kagami was present in Adrien's head as well…

"It's not gonna work…" she muttered.

"What's not gonna work?" he didn't understand.

"How would it work when we still remember our exes? You'll be haunted by Luka's words, and I will - by Kagami's. How do people manage to start a new relationship when they're dragging a baggage of their previous ones?" she asked hopeless.

Adrien looked at her, thoughtful. She was right. He was haunted by the awareness of all things Luka had done for Marinette to win her heart. But he didn't think that she could feel the same about Kagami, who had been someone special for him for years. Marinette had to be jealous of all his first times with Kagami, as he was jealous of all her first times. With another guy. With Luka. The man so perfect for her.

"You've said already that we're what we are now also thanks to them." he said finally. "I think we should leave the past and focus on us. On that what's now. And forever, Mari… Besides…"

"Besides what?" she spotted when he'd hesitated.

"You don't have to be jealous of Kagami." he discovered suddenly. "It's you who was my first love."

"And you were mine…" she laughed with relief and kissed him.


	28. The crepes

On Saturday morning Marinette woke up in a wonderful mood, despite the fact she had slept for a few hours only. Neither of them had wanted to say goodnight – every time one of them was ready to go to sleep, the other one felt like kissing again. Finally, at three o'clock she managed to put Adrien out, informing him that it was highly recommended not to wake her up before nine. Hearing that, he just laughed, kissed her and ran away before she got him.

Marinette glanced at the clock and noticed in astonishment that it was just after eight. How could that happen that she felt well-rested already? She stretched in her bed and at the same moment she heard knocking on the door.

"Uhm… Come in!" she said.

"Good morning, Purrincess!" Adrien greeted her with a grin on his face.

"You've been sitting there since dawn, or what?" she joked.

"Tikki told me that you woke up." he explained and sat down in the corner of her bed.

"That's terrible… Our kwamis are going to fly there and back and inform us about each other?"

Adrien laughed and looked at her in sparkles in his eyes.

"I think she had enough of my walking around my room while waiting for you to wake up."

"It's not Tikki who had enough of that…" Plagg commented wryly.

Marinette giggled.

"That's so unrealistic, you know?" she admitted. "So many kwamis at the same apartment. Don't tell me you organise parties behind our back…" she added, winking at Tikki, that only smiled evasively in reply.

"Get up, Princess!" Adrien stood up and approached the bed-head. "You owe me breakfast, remember?" he winked at Marinette and leaned down.

"Kissing in the morning is highly unhygienic…" she muttered and moved back.

"Too late…" he whispered with a grin and kissed her.

And when he began, he couldn't stop, the more that she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He sat down and slipped his hands on her back. She was so warm and close that he forgot about breakfast for good.

"Careful, Princess…" he warned her in whisper.

"You've started it!" she reminded him.

"I couldn't help that. You look so sweet."

"Yeah, right… Personally, I'd prefer that you didn't see me in such a mess…"

"But you're gorgeous, when you're sleepy, messy and so mine…"

"Yes, I'm sure that _being yours_ is the main factor influencing on my charm." She rolled her eyes meaningfully.

"Not true! When you were sick you were gorgeous too, and you weren't mine at that time…"

"You will never convince me that I had even a hint of attraction when I was ill!"

"Definitely more than a hint…" he replied, grinning. "I had to force myself to leave you instead of staring at you for hours."

"You were here for real?" she asked suddenly, and when he glanced at her uncertain, she added: "When you told me it was a dream…"

He laughed quietly and stroke her cheek.

"Yes. I was here. For real." he admitted. "I've been used to call you '_Princess_' so much, that finally I blurted out it aloud. And you caught me. I didn't know what to do, so I told you it was a dream. I was sure you didn't believe me, because you started avoiding me from the next morning. Both '_me_'."

"You avoided me too."

"I gave you time. I wrote you the letter."

"As Cat Noir. You had no reasons as Adrien. Unless you were so overwhelmed by my confession…"

"That too…" he nodded. "But mainly I was worrying that you don't accept me being Cat Noir…"

"I should have answered to you letter sooner…" she whispered.

"I'm not complaining. I like what we are now. Even when I had to wait four more days for that… It's been worth waiting."

"I like it too. What we are now." Marinette smiled and squeezed Adrien's hand.

"So, get up, Princess!" he stood up. "Only starving can force me into leaving you… And I've heard from Nino and Alya something about delicious breakfasts that you used to spoil them with before they ruined that tradition by offering you a room. For money."

"Oh, Nino wasn't happy at all! He preferred breakfasts…" she laughed.

"And you promised me crepes. If I remember correctly, I should give up my silly American habits…"

"You'll beg for mercy, alley cat!" she muttered wryly, but he only chuckled and ran away – like yesterday – before she reached him.

"I can't wait, M'Lady!" he grinned with his Cat-Noir-smile, then he bowed courteously and left.

"Beware, Kitty-Cat…" Marinette murmured some threats, jumping from the bed. "I'll get you…"

She changed quickly in some casual clothes and soon after she joined Adrien in the kitchenette. He was sitting at the tabletop, grinning and waiting for her.

"Pray that I wouldn't add some arsenic…" she drawled.

"You wouldn't!" he burst out laughing. "Not after last evening. And not before this evening. Our first date, remember? The first of million…" he gave her a wink.

"Wasn't there something with '_n_'?" she asked ironically, preparing all ingredients for crepes. "That something-something approaches infinity? Or something like that…"

"Something-something…" he repeated and chuckled. "You're adorable, Mari!"

"Flatterer, but flattery will get you nowhere. You can't be sure that I haven't added a poison…"

"I'll stand by your side till the end, M'Lady…" he promised, so she only rolled her eyes and muttered '_Silly alley cat!_'

After a moment he smelled a frying crepe and he realised that she'd fooled him – she kept him busy with jokes and talk, so he couldn't watch her cooking. He'd hoped to steal her recipe to surprise her one day with a crepe breakfast… Yet she managed to prepare the meal before he even realised that she'd started cooking.

"Without arsenic, I promise…" she joked when she put a plate in front of Adrien.

"I hope so…" he winked at her, then he glanced at a crepe covered with icing sugar.

"You'll have to trust me."

"Always, M'Lady…" he whispered, staring at her eyes.

"Bon appétit!"

He reached for a fork, but before he cut off even a piece of the crepe, she stopped him with a shriek. He froze and watched Marinette grabbing a half of a lemon – that he'd ignored before, because he thought it was only a decoration – then she sprinkled the plate with the lemon juice. She looked at Adrien, waiting for his opinion, so he tried the meal. The crepe was light as a cloud, and lemon mixed with icing sugar tasted heavenly. That was like a sudden revelation. He gazed at Marinette in amazement, and she only smiled triumphantly. She leaned down and looked in his eyes.

"Beg for mercy, Agreste…" she whispered.

He swallowed still staring at her eyes.

"I love you…" he confessed with admiration.

And that made her breathless.


	29. The gift

"I can smell breakfast!" Alya said, standing at the door.

Marinette broke the eye contact with Adrien to look at her friend, a little confused. Somehow her mind kept thinking about the latest confession of love – the one she'd been waiting for years!

"Oh, there you are, sweet lovebirds! Don't you have enough yet?" Alya sang ironically. "Were we so annoying too, Nino?"

"You still are…" Marinette muttered and turned back to the cooker. Adrien chuckled.

"Don't be mad, girl!" the friend came closer. "Better look at the beautiful ring I got from my Nino!" She waved meaningfully with her left hand.

"Because you didn't want to say '_yes_' without the ring…" the newly minted fiancé commented wryly.

"Oh, come on, babe!" Alya laughed. "I'd accept you anyway! Yet…" she hesitated, still staring at her ring. "I'm glad it's so beautiful… That confirms myself in the belief that I've made a good decision."

"If I didn't know you so well, I'd feel offended right now…" Nino commented, kissing his fiancé in her ear. Then he sat down next to Adrien and looked curious at his plate. "What's there today?"

"Mine!" Adrien moved the plate away from his friend. "Not sharing!"

"You've always been so possessive?" Alya joked. "Or it started after your realisation what a precious you'd had just in front of your nose for _all this time_?"

"The result, not the cause is all that matters now…" Adrien answered back and added in a more serious tone: "Being aware of all those wasted years is painful enough, so let it go, OK?"

"My poor sunshine boy…"

"Here you are!" Marinette cut in by putting a plate in front of Alya, interrupting her bantering.

"So sweet?!" her friend noticed wryly. "Do you want me to drive me into diabetes or to get fat? I'll have to buy an oversized wedding dress? Really? So envious? You're going to ruin the most important day of your best friend's life…" she was mumbling.

Marinette rolled her eyes and just squeezed a lemon over the plate, as she'd done before for Adrien. Alya became speechless – as Adrien before. She was chewing slowly and staring at her best friend in an awe.

"So good?" Nino asked, taking the advantage of sitting between Adrien and Alya.

He didn't manage to even touch the crepe, because his fiancé moved her plate away from him and mumbled barely understandable "_Mine_!", after which the rest burst out laughing.

"Isn't it like what's yours it's his?" Marinette joked.

"We haven't got married yet! And I want this recipe as a wedding gift!"

"I'll think about it…" the cook replied and put the last plate in front of Nino.

"Oh, come on! I want that recipe!"

"Geez…" Nino muttered while eating his crepe so fast as if it was a competition. "I want that recipe too!"

"What for?" his fiancé asked in surprise. "You can't even boil an egg…"

"The secret lies in technique not in the ingredients…" Marinette only smiled. "You'll be lost with or without the recipe…"

She chuckled, when she heard her friends' teasing about who was a worse cook. Then she turned back to the cooker, but suddenly the sight of Adrien staring at her with a lovesick smile drew her attention. She leaned in over the countertop, and he whispered:

"One day some man will be thankful to have you…"

She ran out of breath, because she recognised her own words.

"_Some_ man?" she asked ironically, raising her brow.

"Oh, right, my mistake… _I_ will be thankful to have you…" he corrected himself immediately and added with a tender smile: "I've _already_ been…"

"Much better…" she stroked his cheek and went back to cooking.

Adrien laughed quietly. He felt like bliss filled him completely. He couldn't believe that he needed so little to be so happy.

"What's so funny?" Nino asked, glancing at his friend suspiciously.

"He's happy because he'll have these crepes forever…" Alya commented, but after a while she added with satisfaction as if she suddenly found out the solution: "We'll be dropping in for breakfasts."

"Dropping in?" Nino spotted. "They're moving out?"

"Not yet. But how do you imagine it will look like? Where will the kids sleep?"

Nino choked with his crepe and looked at his fiancé terrified.

"Wh-What kids?"

"Our kids, babe. _Some day_! I'm not telling you we'll have them _now_! But some day they will appear. If not ours, there will be theirs for sure." Alya pointed the other couple who blushed instantly.

"Probably I'll move out as soon as my home is renovated…" Marinette whispered, suddenly sad. She felt so well in this apartment.

Adrien glanced at her, uncertain. They had had such a great time that he totally forgot about her house. It occurred to him suddenly that Marinette treated her stay at Alya and Nino's as temporary, so as soon as she could, she'd come back home. That thought was painful for him. Even though her house wasn't halfway around the world, for him it was like on another planet.

"There's no room to swing a cat in here…" Marinette whispered in his ear, taking the advantage of their friends' noisy teasing. "Even though some alley cat told me once that no one would notice…"

Adrien looked at her with hope suddenly awakened in his heart. And then he heard:

"There will always be a room for a _certain_ Cat in my home…"

He smiled in response, feeling like his brain just melted like the butter on a frying pan. Although he was aware that his friends' apartment had been a safe shelter for him for last few years, he'd never been here so happy as for those last two weeks. Especially from last evening. All in all, it didn't matter where he was going to live, if only the woman of his life lived there with him.

"What are you whispering there about?" Alya cut in, and Marinette rolled her eyes. Adrien only chuckled.

"We're planning our future…" Marinette said and went back to cooking.

"Don't plan too much for the evening!"

"Wait, what?" they both asked in surprise.

"We're going to have a little celebration of our engagement tonight! With you both."

"But…" Adrien began, but words died in his mouth. He glanced at Marinette, helpless. They were to have their first date tonight! The first of a million.

"A date will still be there, don't worry. You can go out tomorrow." Alya ignored her friends. "Besides, tomorrow we're out with Nino to celebrate with our families, so you'll have time for… uhm… dating… Alone…"

"Uhm… Al?" Marinette tried to say something, but her friend had already decided for all of them:

"No more complaints! I'm a bride so you can't refuse anything I ask for!"

"You're sure you know what you're doing, man?" Adrien joked and earned Alya's glare.

"I'm okay with that, dude…" Nino muttered staring at his fiancé with admiration.

"So, it's decided!" Alya summed up and continued her breakfast.

Marinette only exchanged glances with Adrien. Their date had to wait…


	30. Bridging back

That was the last address on their list – yet Marinette was afraid of this one the most. She heard her heart beating in her ears, her breath quickened. Adrien squeezed her hand as a signal of supporting her and smiled.

"You can do it…"

"I'm so scared…"

"Why? They're your friends."

"Juleka is Luka's sister. She'll be mad…"

"You don't know it. And I'm sure she'll understand. Come on! We don't have time. Remember that we have to buy an engagement gift…"

Marinette lowered her head and followed Adrien unenthusiastically. Since this morning they had already visited most of their friends. They'd started at Mylène and Ivan's. Then they visited Nathaniel and Marc, who lived nearby. It wasn't surprising that Alix was their next-door-neighbour. Yet, Max as her roommate was a little unexpected. Marinette had an impression that he wasn't just a roommate… She tried to recall any hints that those two had ever been interested in each other, but didn't remember anything like that. They asked about Kim and Ondine, so Alix told them that they were always busy with swimming tournaments. Before Adrien and Marinette left the apartment, Max received a message from Kim who just visited Paris between sport competitions. After a few minutes Kim and Ondine joined them and accepted the invitation for the evening. Actually, all of friends agreed to come for the engagement party, even Sabrina. Although she made sure first that Chloe wouldn't be there… Marinette smiled evasively trying not to admit that miss Bourgeois was the only one that wasn't invited at all.

Now, only Juleka and Rose left on the list.

Marinette sighed and ranged the doorbell. Soon after that a tiny blonde appeared at the door. She squeaked with excitement when she saw them.

"Oh, God! Marinette! I haven't seen you for ages! And you, Adrien, even longer! Where have you been hiding?! What's up? Oh, God! You're together now?" Rose couldn't help asking, before she even invited them in.

"Is Juleka there?" Marinette asked looking around.

Rose seemed to be a bit embarrassed. That was obvious that her girlfriend had hidden in the other room when she'd got known who visited them.

"I'm sure she'll join us soon…" Rose whispered. "Do you want anything to drink? What brings you here by the way? Not that I'm not happy seeing you here! Of course I'm happy! We haven't seen each other for so long… Something happened that you've come so unexpectedly?"

"We wanted to invite you for an engagement party…"

"Oh! You're getting married?! Wonderful!"

Rose's exclamation made her partner leave the bedroom finally. Juleka was too curious and too astonished to hide anymore. She wanted to hear why Marinette had moved on so quickly after breaking up with Luka.

"Hi, Mar…" she muttered uncomfortable.

"Hey, Jules… Uhm…"

"I'm so sorry for my stupid brother…"

"Oh, don't be… Uhm… It's not necessary…"

"He's a complete jerk…"

"Don't say that. He used to be okay for the most of time."

"He behaved like a pig and you defend him?"

"Oh, you're so big-hearted!" Rose exclaimed in an awe. "You've forgiven him. That's so noble of you! And now you're with Adrien!"

"It will kill Luka. For sure…" Juleka muttered.

"Don't tell him, please…" Marinette whispered, suddenly realising that she wouldn't stand Luka's face when he'd say: '_I told you so!_'

"I'm sure he'll feel relief. That you're not broken-hearted anymore!" Rose admitted enthusiastically.

"Or it will kill him…" Juleka knew better. "At least… We can tell you…" she added after a moment. "I was afraid how you'd react, but… If you're with Adrien now…"

"What happened?"

"I'm going to be an aunt…"

"Wh-What?!" Marinette stuttered in shock.

"My brother's made a baby with Chloe…"

"Jules!" Rose snorted. " Don't be gross! I think it's so romantic!"

"Yeah, right! I'm more than sure that discovering the fact that contraceptives fail sometimes wasn't romantic at all" Juleka noted. "I bet that it was commented with a long list of curses. I'm not sure only who cursed more: my brother or my future sister-in-law."

"Oh…" escaped from Marinette. "So they're getting married?"

"Well, the mayor Bourgeois didn't leave any choice to my brother… Luka wasn't happy, of course, but he's finally accepted the fact he'll settle down. In my opinion he'd prefer someone else to be his bride…" Juleka stopped, embarrassed.

"Please, relay my best wishes…" Marinette said carefully after a moment.

"Sure…"

They all became silent for a long, awkward while.

"There is a bright side of this situation…" Juleka said suddenly. "My brother remembered that he has a family. You know, he used to forget about my birthdays for a couple of years. Now, he calls me twice a week. Or even more often…"

"And Jules has fun every single time…" Rose added in an amused tone.

"Because he's whining all the time about Chloe's complaining on everything. That she'll get fat or earn some stretch marks, or ruin her complexion. That's so funny!"

"I hope Chloe will be a better mom than her own mother." Marinette murmured.

"Don't worry about that. My mom has already a plan to take over Chloe after the wedding." Juleka explained with satisfaction. "She'll never let anyone hurt her grandchild. Oh, man… I wish I could see that! My sister-in-law who barely touches anything because it's dirty or not golden enough… Luka will turn grey. He deserved it!"

"Maybe Chloe will change for better?" Adrien wondered. "Maybe she'll be a great mom? Maybe she'll discover she's a good person?"

Juleka glanced at him doubtful but said nothing. She remembered that Adrien used to be Chloe's friend and he'd always justified her bullying at school by reminding that Chloe's mother had left her…

"Let's hope so…" Marinette agreed.

"And they will get away with cheating?!" Juleka asked outraged. "What moral comes from that story? That you can be unfaithful, break someone's heart and live happily ever after?!"

"I'm not saying they will live happily ever after…" Marinette replied calmly. "They have to figure out how to live with the consequences. For some years they will remember that they've got married because they had to. If they want to be happy, they have to realise that they're together because they love each other. That their child only advanced the course of events. It may happen that during their arguments Chloe will reproach Luka with an apartment not luxurious enough or staying at home with the child when he's on tour. Or Luka will argue that he had to settle down against his will… Or it also may happen that they both will lose their heads for their child and discover they're made for each other. Time will tell…"

"You're so smart and forgiving!" Rose exclaimed.

"And naïve…" Juleka added.

"Just wonderful…" Adrien whispered in Marinette's ear, and she smiled in response.

"So, when is your wedding?" Rose asked.

"Oh, it's not our engagement party!" Marinette laughed.

"Maybe next time…" Adrien replied at the same moment, and his girlfriend glanced at him in amazement.

"I guess it'll be quite soon…" Juleka muttered.

"It's Alya and Nino who engaged." Marinette explained. "We want to organise a surprise for them, so we invite all classmates for tonight."

"Even…?"

"No. Chloe isn't on that list." Marinette cut in a serious tone.

"That's good. I'm trying to like her, but I prefer her in small doses…"

Suddenly Juleka's phone began calling. She glanced at the screen and commented:

"Talking of the devil…" she reached for the smartphone. "What's up?" she asked her interlocutor. Judging from her face expression, Luka began complaining of his fiancé. "Before you go too far, let me share some news with you. You won't believe who's visited us today!"

Marinette tried to protest wordlessly to avoid revealing her presence, but Juleka ignored those signs and informed her brother with satisfaction:

"Marinette!"

Hearing her name, the girl felt as if her heart stopped for a moment. Her anxiety arose when she noticed her friend stopped talking and only listened to Luka. After a while of nodding and muttering Juleka finally looked at her friend and said:

"Uhm… Okay… Mari?" she handed her the phone.

Adrien had an impression that his world had just been ruined. He was afraid that after all they'd learnt here, all Luka needed to do to win Marinette back was to apologise. She'd forgive him, they'd get back together. Maybe they'd even raise Luka's child together, because Chloe wouldn't be a single mom…

"Uhm… Hello?" Marinette began in uncertain tone.

Silence.

"Is that you? Really?" Luka asked quietly.

"Yes."

"I… I'm _so sorry_, Mari…"

She didn't expect that those words would bring her such a relief. She smiled and looked at Adrien, as if he was her support, her baseline that enabled her to navigate her life properly again.

"Thank you." She replied calmly. "I want you to know that I've forgiven you. And I wish you to be happy, Luka…"


	31. The party

Marinette smoothed a fabric of her dress, checking her look in the mirror for the last time. It was almost seven o'clock, which meant that the guests would come soon. According to decisions made on the top of the Eiffel Tower on their way back home this afternoon, Adrien was to keep the engaged couple away from the apartment until half past seven, meanwhile Marinette had to prepare everything for the surprise party.

She sighed when she recalled the memory of that short visit on the Eiffel Tower. After leaving Juleka and Rose's apartment they'd decided to go back home in their super-selves, because they ran out of time. In a blind alley they transformed – for the first time seeing each other while turning into superheroes. They used to transform vis-à-vis before, yet every time they closed their eyes to keep their identities secret. This time it was different and they found it somehow intimate.

"We need a plan for the evening." Ladybug muttered.

"For the early evening or the _late_ evening?" Cat Noir asked, grinning seductively.

She rolled her eyes, as always when he was flirting. Yet, she couldn't help smiling nor blushing, which made her partner happy. He was about to kiss her, when she used her yo-yo to evade unexpectedly.

"See you on the Tower!" she shouted before disappeared over Parisian rooftops.

Without hesitation he followed her. He caught her on the top of the Eiffel Tower and hugged her that she barely could breathe.

"So?" he asked quietly. "What about the evening?"

"Everyone will come around seven p.m. I'll be there to prepare the party. We have to figure out how to keep Alya and Nino away from their own apartment…"

"So rational, as always…" Cat Noir only sighed.

"Any ideas?" Ladybug asked, and he looked at her so suggestively that she had no doubts what he was thinking about. "Caaat… Focus!" she snorted.

"Uhm… I'm trying…"

"Let me remind you that the top of the tower is not the safest place to do what you're thinking about… So, Kitty, stop staring at my lips, otherwise I'll kiss you and we'll fall and kill ourselves."

"So, let me take you somewhere else…"

"The plan first. We have to make Alya and Nino go out."

"I'll tell Nino."

"Are you going to blurt it out?"

"Of course not! I'm not going to tell him everything. Only that he needs to take Alya somewhere, because you want to prepare something special for them. I'm sure Nino will suggest something silly to buy, like a suit or something equally unimportant… And I'll go with them as an expert." he came up with an idea.

"Great! I'm so glad we…" she didn't finish that sentence, because Cat Noir finally kissed her.

"So, what about _our part_ of the evening, M'Lady?" he asked after a while.

She gazed at him dizzy, surprised by the fact they hadn't fallen.

"First: a date, Kitty… Remember?" she reminded him when she managed to formulate a thought.

"Can I finally stop chasing after you?"

"What are you thinking, Kitty? That you'll get me and you can rest on your laurels? Sorry for disappointing you but you'll be chasing after me every day…"

"You're so cruel…"

"Remember about the awards… Like delicious breakfasts…"

"It's not _a breakfast_ we're talking about right now…"

"Well…" she smiled meaningfully.

"Stop smiling like that, or we'll fall…" he warned.

"So keep us safe Kitty. I'm in your hands…"

"There's no way that we're going on a date tomorrow, M'Lady!" he decided. "We can combine business with pleasure. Alya wanted a party and she'll get it. We can treat that party as our first date."

"Clever…" she whispered.

"Really?" he was surprised that he won so easily.

"Oh, yeah, Kitty…" she laughed and escaped from his embraces. "Now: I'll race you to home!"

"What's the award?" he asked but heard only her laughter in response.

When he caught her, she was already in front of their apartment. She couldn't find her keys again, but this time not because of getting cold but because of laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked in a suspicious tone.

"We didn't set the award of the race, and I won, so… I'm just wondering what's your offer?"

"Wait for the evening. I'm sure I'll figure something out…" he whispered in her ear.

Marinette sighed again. She could guess what this Cat would suggest… Hearing the holder, Tikki appeared around immediately.

"You look fantastic!" she assured.

"Thanks… I'm a bit nervous…"

"But why? You've managed to invite all your classmates. Everyone's confirmed they'll come…"

"I meant our after-party…" Marinette muttered and blushed.

"I promise to take Plagg to Adrien's room for the whole night!" Tikki affirmed in a solemn tone which made her holder even more embarrassed.

Thankfully a doorbell saved Marinette the trouble of having to answer. Apparently the guests began coming. Soon after everything was prepared for welcoming the engaged couple. Everyone hid where they could and waited. Finally, they heard the door unlock.

"SURPRISE!" they yelled, jumping out.

Alya squeaked frightened, but soon after she began weeping with joy. Nino embraced her instinctively, trying to regain his voice – he was also astonished so much. Their friends surrounded them and started congratulating – one after another. Meanwhile Marinette stood aside, observing that scene with eyes filled with tears of joy. Adrien approached her slowly and handed her a rose, winking at her meaningfully. Then he stood behind and hugged her. The date – as it should be like.

"You did it, M'Lady…" he whispered in her ear.

"Thanks to you…" she replied quietly. "I wouldn't make it without you…"

"Being your support is a part of me." he assured, and she smiled softly and cuddled in his arms. "Since forever and for ever…" he added.

Saying that he stroked a ring finger of her left hand, as if there was something important missing there. Marinette looked up in astonishment, but he only smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I'm so glad you rescued me that night, Kitty…" she whispered.

"No, _you_ rescued _me_, Purrincess…" he murmured.

And then they joined their friends…


	32. Time for kittens

They stayed too long. That was quite predictable, because it was a real reunion after a few years. It was too much to catch up to end the party too early. Thankfully, all friends respected Marinette's feelings and avoided the newest gossips about the mayor's daughter and some famous musician.

Finally the guests began leaving, so around midnight only the last four stayed – Nathaniel and Alix couldn't stop chatting with friends, not until their partners suggested that tomorrow was still the day and all of them could go for a coffee the next day. Hearing that Marinette remembered her last meeting with Nathaniel – the one, after which she had broken up with Luka. Adrien had to think about that too, and even though he didn't say anything, he squeezed Marinette's hand to show his support.

When the last four guests left, Alya hugged her best friend and exclaimed:

"Thank you so much, Mari! That was the best gift I could ever imagine!"

"I'm so glad, Al…"

"They all told me what you'd done. You visited them all and invited them to be with us tonight! You're so amazing! Thank you, thank you!"

"There, there…" Nino interrupted and pulled his fiancé away from Marinette and led her to their bedroom.

"Love ya, gurl!" Alya yelled before Nino closed the door.

"Uhm… So clever…" Marinette muttered.

"What's so clever?" Adrien asked, approaching his girlfriend and embracing her from behind.

"They left us with this mess…"

"This'll all be still here in the morning…" he murmured, kissing her neck.

"But those mugs, cups and plates will be awful. I'm not going to touch anything mouldy!" she declared, so he rested his forehead on her shoulder and sighed with defeat.

"It'll be faster if I help you…" he said finally.

"Thanks, Cat…"

Tidying up the living room only proved that they were a great team – they complemented each other even in such a mundane activity like cleaning up. When all dishes were finally placed in a dishwasher, they stood face to face – suddenly self-conscious.

"Have I told you that you look gorgeous?" Adrien asked, reaching for her hand.

"Not today…" she replied, giving him her hand.

"Really?" he was surprised.

"It's after midnight, Kitty… But you managed to tell me this yesterday. For a million times. At least…" she smiled tenderly at him.

"That's good…" he pulled her closer. "Flowers? Ticked. Compliments? Ticked. Cuddle? Ticked. I think you can tick off our first date, Purrincess…"

"It's not over yet, Kitty…" she murmured, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

"It's weird to go _out_ for a date when we live together… Usually, I'd walk you home, kiss and say goodbye…"

"And I'd invite you in…"

"Really?"

"I won our race, remember? I heard something about the award tonight…" she smiled coquettishly.

Adrien glanced at her, uncertain, but she didn't take it seriously and joked:

"What? Scared Kitty?"

"It's not that… I feel… I feel a pressure of expectations…"

"You're adrietising!"

"I'm doing what?!" he burst out laughing totally astonished by her words.

"You're returning to Adrien's perfectionism. You know what I mean… That you always had to accomplished your tasks in perfectly because everyone was expecting you to do so. Let me remind you that you've left it behind. Remember?"

"But I want it to be ideal!"

"And it will be. It's just me…"

"Exactly!" he agreed. "It's _you_!"

"But I'm just a normal girl…"

"You've never been just a normal girl, Purrincess…"

"Oh, shut up, Cat!" she muttered and kissed him.

He didn't protest anymore and just hugged her tightly and lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She clung to him kissing him passionately.

"My place or your place?" he asked, moving from the kitchenette.

"What a cliché!" she laughed.

"So what? I've always wanted to say it."

"Kwamis sleep in your room tonight."

"Really?" he was surprised.

"Tikki promised me that. By the way… I've just realised that I've never been in your room…" she noticed, teasing him intentionally.

"There's no time for sightseeing…" he commented impatient.

"You're right. It's time for kittens…" she whispered and began kissing a spot nearby his ear.

That made Adrien not to hesitate anymore – he went directly to Marinette's bedroom. He shifted the sweet load to one hand only, trying to use the other one for finding a zip in her dress. There had to be a way to take it off! When they went inside, the girl swung her hand to close the door.

"What about a sock?" he asked, noticing by the way that Marinette had already managed to unbutton his shirt. How did she do that?! And where was that damn zip?!

"Dammit…"

"I'll take care of that!" Tikki assured.

"You were supposed to be away!" her holder reminded with reproach.

"I wonder who would put a sock on a doorknob if we were away…" Plagg commented.

"Talk about a mood killer…" Adrien muttered and sat down on the bed, still holding Marinette in his arms.

"You'd think it was so easy to distract you…" she whispered in his ear and started kissing him again at the same spot she'd just found there. He didn't even suspect it might have such an impact on himself. Each kiss sent a shiver down his spine.

"The sock is on." Tikki informed.

"Thanks, Tik…" Marinette murmured, still exploring his neck that made him crazy.

"Good luck, kid!" Plagg added.

"Go away!" Adrien waved his hand with a pretended irritation, and Marinette chuckled. "You have fun?"

"A lot…"

"You'll beg for mercy very soon!" he murmured and turned her over on her back.

"You'll beg for mercy sooner, Agreste…" she giggled.

"Challenge accepted, M'Lady…" he whispered right on her lips.

x x x

THE END


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